The Hunt
by MurasakiYasu
Summary: The underside of Konoha City is more dangerous than anyone could possibly imagine. When Naruto stumbles into the secret world of hunters and demons he finally learns who he really is. But the world around them is changing and no one is safe. NaruSasu
1. Prologue

**Summary: **At Gin no Daiyamondo they gather... the Hunters that is... When Naruto follows his mysterious rescuer to the nightclub he gets more than he bargained for!

**Story Notes: **BLANKET DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the associated characters, they are the property of Masashi Kishimoto AU fantasy fic set in Konoha City. Please note that although the characters supernatural powers are only based on their favourite jutsu to match their characters and they don't actually have ninja powers.

**Key:** _Italics _Emphasis **-0- ** Point of View change.

* * *

In Konoha City it was said the wind whistled blindly through dark alleys like a thousand lost souls crying out for redemption. But Naruto didn't believe that.

Still there was something eerie about the gusts that battered his temporary home. Naruto shivered as he drew a thin blanket closer to himself trying to bury deeper within it's limited folds. His luck had recently run out leaving him at rock bottom. And rock bottom in Konoha meant no job, no home and no food. Naruto's stomach growled at him to remind him of the fact that he needed to find food soon. But it was never as easy as stealing food from the rubbish. He could do it of course... he just didn't want to.

His 'temporary home' was currently situated in the middle of a series of alleys running through the red light district. Pounding music assailed his ears from a nearby club as one particular occupant was thrown onto the street. Naruto watched as the man emptied the contents of his stomach before stumbling away. Glad the man hadn't decided to come in his direction Naruto nestled back into his box only to sit bolt upright a second later.

Someone was approaching from the opposite end of the alley. As they walked with measured footsteps towards him Naruto could hear the ominous click of stiletto heels. A chill ran down his spine preventing him from burying deeper as his brain told him to. He had always had good night sight and found he could make out every feature of this woman. She wore a sadistic smile as she watched him with eyes that seemed to glow. Every one of his instincts told him to leg it right this second... but he couldn't move.

But then he did move. He began to get to his feet with slow movements that he couldn't explain. Naruto tried to run, he was on his feet now surely he could run... He heard a tinkling laughter, like glass breaking on cold marble, erupting from the woman as she watched his frightened expressions.

"Come now, young one," she whispered, beckoning to him with long silver taloned fingers.

Naruto opened his mouth to tell her to get lost but the words dried in his throat as his legs began to propel him towards her clutches. He struggled against an invisible force for control of his own limbs as his heartbeat pounded in his own ears and he was forced to watch the hungry expression on her misleadingly beautiful face. A hand, cold as ice, trailed down his cheek as he was pulled into her deathly embrace. Naruto clenched his eyes shut as she smiled revealing elongated canines.

'I'm going to die!' he thought frantically. 'I thought I'd already hit rock bottom, that my life couldn't possibly get any worse!'

Naruto waited in her arms for what felt like the longest few seconds of his life. Any moment now he would surely feel those unnaturally sharp teeth pierce his flesh...


	2. A Bad Start

**A/N:** Here we go, first full chapter! My first reviewer, UchihaUzumaki baby, this is for you!

* * *

Naruto waited in her arms for what felt like the longest few seconds of his life. Any moment now he would surely feel those unnaturally sharp teeth pierce his flesh...

But instead he felt a falling sensation. Perhaps this was part of death...?

"Oof!" Air rushed from his lungs as he hit the ground, eyes snapping open.

Through tear blurred vision Naruto saw a tall figure at the end of the alley, silhouetted by the flashing lights of the city. The newcomers long coat snapped to the side in another gust of wind. Faster than Naruto could track the figure was down the alleyway and Naruto was looking at his heavy leather boots from his position on the ground. Scrambling out of the way Naruto saw the man held an umbrella pointed at his attackers chest. In a quick stab he embedded it's sharpened end between her collarbones. She gave a pained screech and backed away her skin peeling where she had been stabbed. She wasted no time on her injury, instead running at the man again, this time with nails and teeth bared. She launched herself at him hands reaching to scratch at him with steely nails.

Naruto gave a shout of warning that left him after the man had already dodged. His rescuer now held a long thin sword in place of his umbrella and Naruto watched, stunned, as electrical currents ran down the metal length, sparking and chirruping. Quicker than Naruto thought possible he swung the sword at the vampire, lightening leaving it's metal confines to fly at her in a deadly arc. But she was as fast a he was and pushed off from the ground to jump nearly ten feet in the air, effectively dodging the lightening which hit Naruto's home with a cracking explosion. Naruto drew in a sharp breath as she landed behind the man and wrapped strong fingers around his neck with a cry of triumph.

Naruto instinctively leapt to his feet, planning to do this man the same courtesy as he had done Naruto. But before he had taken two steps towards the pair the vampire gave another pained screech as she was thrown backwards. Naruto watched in shock as electrical currents skittered across the mans pale skin before dissipating.

The stranger ignored him as he looked around the alley for something. Naruto looked towards where the vampire had landed to see a charred corpse. She was dead. And he was glad.

The man was now picking up his umbrella. Naruto watched as he sheathed the sword inside the umbrella and turned back towards the corpse. He walked easily over to the body emitting the unpleasant stench of burnt flesh.

"What are you going to do about that mess?" Naruto asked, forcing his vocal cords into action.

For the first time his rescuer looked him in the eye and Naruto felt his voice leave him again. The man was not much older than him, he looked about 19 but radiated a confidence that made him seem older. The darkest eyes he had ever seen fixed him with a calculating stare as he raised one shaped eyebrow in a mocking gesture.

Turning away again he spun his umbrella through practised fingers before hitting the dead woman between singed eyebrows with what Naruto knew to be the hilt of that concealed sword. Naruto was about to ask why he'd done that when he realised the body was decomposing before his very eyes. Within seconds all that was left was dust and that was quickly scattered by the wind.

Without a word that man began to walk away. Naruto looked behind him at his burning home. The box with his few belongings in it was slowly burning to a cinder.

"Oi wait up!" he called running after his rescuer.

The man didn't stop so Naruto ran around him to stop his retreat from the alley. He was fixed with another questioning glare which struck a nerve. Grateful as he may be to this man for saving his life, he had just been left even more homeless than he had been before.

"I hope you're going to pay for that!" Naruto demanded glaring back and pointing at his burning home.

"Hn, was it actually worth something?" the mans deep voice rolled easily over Naruto's ears.

"Yes!" spluttered Naruto, pissed off now that his rescuer was turning out to be such a bastard.

"Whatever."

Stepping around him the stranger walked away setting a quick pace. Naruto stood for a second, stunned, staring back and forth from his rescuers back to his burning home. His belongings, everything he had salvaged of his life before now, was literally going up in smoke. With one last look at the box he turned away and followed the bastard from the alley onto the streets of the red light district.

"Don't follow me," the man said coldly.

"Try and stop me!" yelled Naruto defiantly.

"Don't tempt me," growled his rescuer speeding up until he was almost running.

But Naruto wasn't the kind of guy to give up without a fight. Jogging to keep up he pursued the man past countless dodgy bars and clubs.

"What did you do to that woman - I mean vampire - anyway?" he asked. "I never even believed in vampires before tonight. She was a vampire, right? I mean she acted like a vampire."

"Yes she was a vampire," the man gritted out, looking anywhere but at Naruto. "Now leave me alone!"

"But what did you do to her? You hit my box with lightening, I understand it was an accident, but I'd still like an apology! And then she grabbed you and then she went flying."

They had turned down another alley and were still walking at top speed.

"Hey teme, I'm trying to talk to you here!" shouted Naruto getting fed up with being ignored.

This guys attitude was really grating on his nerves. Reaching out Naruto grabbed his shoulder to turn the man around. The man whipped around and Naruto was fixed with a dangerous glare.

"You want to know what I did to her?" the man spat furiously. "Watch closely!"

Next second Naruto was swearing loudly and clutching his hand to his chest. Where his hand had been resting on the mans shoulder he had been electrocuted! Naruto's hand throbbed and tingled painfully. It had been more of a surprise than anything though and now Naruto did indeed know what had happened to the vampire. She had been electrocuted just like he had but on a much more deadly scale!

Naruto watched as the man continued down the alley his long coat flaring behind him. Naruto thought this man fitted the appearance of a vampire hunter and he was curious to find out more. 'You know what they say; curiosity killed the cat...' thought Naruto nursing his hand. He had a strong feeling that if he tried to follow the 'vampire hunter' he was just going to end up getting hurt again but on the other hand he had nothing to go back to.

Slipping into the shadows Naruto followed the 'vampire hunting bastard' as quietly as he could although the sounds of a nearby club sufficiently masked any sounds he did make. They turned several corners until the man came to the entrance to the street. Naruto ducked down behind a dustbin when the man looked back obviously checking to make sure he wasn't being followed anymore. When he heard the man move on Naruto crept from the shadows and moved quickly to the mouth of the alley in time to see his rescuer enter a busy club. The lit up sign over the entrance read 'Gin no Daiyamondo'. The nightclubs facade wasn't too shabby and there was a steady stream of extremely dressed customers passing the doorman.

Naruto hurried over and entered the club close behind a large group of gothic styled people adorned with piercing's, chains and fake dreadlocks. His own clothes were thankfully dark though plain and worn. Naruto moved quickly through the crowd trying to blend in as much as possible as he searched for the 'vampire hunter'. The nightclub was packed with odd looking people with inventive hairstyles, heavy makeup, neon jewellery and every other fashion item you can think of that would make them seem out of place during the daytime. Naruto let out an exasperated sigh as he reached the bar; he would never find his rescuer in this place and Naruto thought that had perhaps been the mans plan.

"Looking for someone?" asked a smooth voice in his ear.

Naruto turned around and for a split second he thought his rescuer had found him when he laid eyes on pale skin, black hair and black eyes. But it wasn't him. This man was slightly older, slightly paler and showed a lot more skin with a cropped top and leather pants riding low on his slim hips.

"Er..." Naruto was at a loss for what to say to this strange man. Then he decided on the truth. "Yeah, actually I am. You haven't seen a guy in a black trench coat have you? He's got pale skin and black hair that sticks up all funny at the back... oh and he was carrying an umbrella."

The man raised an eyebrow at Naruto's description smirking a little, "Yeah I know him."

"Really?"

"Would you like me to take you to him?"

There was something a little off about the mans smile but Naruto was grateful for the helping hand so he nodded eagerly. The strange man led him across the room, his hips swaying confidently. At the other end of the bar was an unmarked door. As his guide pushed the door open Naruto suppressed a nervous feeling. They entered a small, barely furnished room just as a pair of girls entered through the opposite door. A large man with a vacant expression and ginger hair stepped aside to let them pass and Naruto caught glimpse of a steep spiraling staircase before the doorman closed the door with a decisive click.

"Sai! What are you doing?"

Naruto's attention was diverted to the girls who had just climbed up those stairs. The one who had spoken wore a tight fitting outfit of red leather and had bubblegum pink hair. She stood with her hands and her hips and was glaring at Sai as if waiting for an explanation. The blonde haired girl beside her wore purple leather and had her hair held up by metal chopsticks. She was glaring at Naruto.

"Who is he?" the blonde girl asked, also turning to Sai. "I hope you weren't thinking of bringing him in here."

"He has business with Sasuke," replied Sai.

Naruto looked towards his guide, "Sasuke..." he muttered after hearing his rescuers name for the first time.

The girls both seemed to be sizing him up and Naruto had to resist the urge to shy away from their appraising gazes.

"You know Sasuke won't want to see you," said the blonde girl.

Naruto bristled at her attitude, "I don't care!"

"It doesn't matter anyway," said the pink haired girl speaking to Sai again. "If he can't get past Juugo by himself he isn't going downstairs."

"Who's..." Naruto began, "Oh..." he trailed off as the imposing doorman shifted importantly.

Naruto eyed up Juugo nervously. 'Get past him? He looks a bit much for me to take on in a fight.'

He was just about to say he didn't need to see Sasuke all that urgently when Juugo produced a battered pack of tarot cards. Naruto watched with apprehension as the large man removed one and held it up with the blank side facing Naruto.

Seeing his confused expression Sai leaned closer. "You're supposed to tell him what's on his side of the card."

Naruto turned back to stare at the card. 'How the hell am I supposed to know when I can't see it?' But Juugo was looking expectantly at him. 'May as well take a guess...' Naruto thought quickly of the old tarot cards a friend had shown him a long time ago. He peered closely at the decorated back of the deck. 'Here goes nothing...'

"The Fool?"

Four pairs of eyebrows rose in unison.

"Lucky guess," muttered the blonde beside him.

Naruto looked at her in confusion, surely she couldn't have seen it any better than he could?

"I don't like it, he's not supposed to be in here..." said the pink haired girl uncertainly.

"It's the rule though, right Juugo?" said Sai smiling at the doorman.

"It is," answered Juugo shortly.

Then he stepped aside, opening a door and revealing a dark staircase. Naruto gave them all curious looks, this was all very strange. But he did want to see Sasuke and Naruto knew he could take particular pleasure in knowing that Sasuke hadn't expected Naruto to follow him this far. So he moved through the door and began down a steep spiral staircase of solid stone. He heard Sai and the two girls follow him, obviously whatever they were doing wasn't as entertaining as watching him surprise Sasuke. When Juugo closed the door they were plunged into complete darkness.

There was not a single light down the staircase, which would probably put most people off. But Naruto wasn't scared of the dark and anyway as he continued downwards he found he could see so perhaps there was a light source somewhere. The temperature dropped quickly as they descended. They continued further down until Naruto thought they must be about three stories underground.

Finally they turned into a narrow corridor. Naruto could make out a door at the end by the cracks of light surrounding it. As he paused Sai reached around him and gave the heavy door a hard shove. It opened to reveal a dimly lit lounge like bar. Strangely stringy music filled the room bouncing off of stone floors, it sounded offbeat to Naruto but not unpleasantly so. Around the room were many booths and sofas all covered in the same blood red velvet and the walls were hung with a dark grey shimmering material. Naruto had only a few seconds to take in the colourless fire burning in many braziers around the underground room before one of the girls gave an inpatient huff and Sai pushed him gently over the threshold.

As he followed Sai across the room, Naruto found himself attracting a lot of looks, few of them friendly. Every direction he looked in he saw more people dressed like Sai and Sasuke. To his left a girl with her hair in buns was throwing a knife at a dart board and then retrieving it, without touching the knife! To his right a pale eyed man sat cross-legged and deathly still as though in a trance, he looked blind but even as Naruto passed him those milky eyes followed his course across the room with an eerie intensity.

At the end of the room two corridors led away on either side of a highly polished bar. Sai walked confidently down the left-hand one for a while before turning left again and then right. He stopped outside one of the many identical doors and rapped briskly on it. A few seconds later a familiar face appeared at the door with a familiar glare firmly in place.

"Sai," gritted out Sasuke. "What is it?"

"You have a visitor."

With that Sai pushed Naruto into Sasuke's line of vision and stepped away. He gave a sadistic smile as Sasuke's expression darkened.

"I told you not to follow me."

"I don't take orders from you!" Naruto replied angrily.

"It would be in your best interest."

Sasuke's voice was icy and Naruto heard the girls shift nervously behind him. Sasuke turned his attention to them. Sai was still smiling as though nothing could make him happier than seeing Sasuke in such a position.

"Sakura, Ino, how did he get down here?" Sasuke asked the girls with a tone of superiority.

"Sai showed him the way," replied the blond named Ino.

"Well I can guess that. But what about Juugo?"

Naruto took his chance as they hesitated to reply proudly, "I got the right card."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him before turning back to the girls, "Out of curiosity, which card was it?"

"The Fool," answered Sakura promptly.

"How... fitting," drawled Sasuke.

"Teme!" Naruto shouted angrily. "I didn't come to this hellhole just so you could insult me! You owe me a fucking apology!"

"What did he do?" asked Sai immediately.

Before Naruto could answer he was being dragged by his jacket into Sasuke's room. He heard Sai laugh as Sasuke slammed the door. Then he found himself being pinned to the wall, Sasuke's hand now at his throat.

"You don't know what you've gone and done by following me back here."

"Oh? Why don't you explain it to me then?" Naruto managed to gasp out.

Sasuke gave him a long, piercing look as he slowly cut off Naruto's air supply. Then he stepped away. Naruto's knees hit the floor as he gasped for air. Just as he'd seen in the alleyway, this guy was strong!

Naruto pulled himself to his feet and glared at Sasuke.

When Sasuke remained silent Naruto felt his temper boiling, "I never got a 'sorry', teme!"

"I never got a 'thank you', dobe," countered Sasuke.

The two young men glared directly at each other with all the amnosity caused by the night's unfortunate events. Then they both looked away, their eyes still burning with anger. Sasuke walked over to an ancient four-poster bed and sat gracefully on the love-seat at it's foot.

"Are you going to explain it then?" asked Naruto to break the heavy silence.

"Explain what?"

Naruto felt his temper flare at the mans unhelpful attitude. "This! This whole place! Your little underground Goth coven! What you did earlier! Who are all these people? What do they do? How does it work?"

"That curiosity will likely get you killed one day. I have already answered one of your questions though, you have already had a second taste of 'what I did earlier'. Did you enjoy getting your question answered?"

"What? No! It bloody hurt!"

"That should give you some clue as to your other answers."

"Why are you speaking in riddles dammit?!"

"Because it's forbidden to give you your answers."

* * *

**A/N:** -bites lip- What do you think? I must admit I had fun with the image of the underground club room. Review, ne?


	3. Bad News

Neji walked gracefully through the winding corridors of the Hunters coven. His destination was that of their Hunt leader. He had important news to deliver and it ran through his head as he knocked on one of many unmarked doors.

"Enter."

Neji let himself into her chambers to find her at her usual position behind her desk. To her left stood the Hunt's best tactician, Shikamaru. To her right was her ever present assistant, Shizune.

"What is it Neji?" she asked peering over at him with intelligent golden eyes.

Neji gave a half bow before speaking, "Tsunade-sama, a young man has just arrived with Sai, Sakura and Ino."

"From another coven?"

"No ma'am. He appears to be a mortal."

Tsunade stood quickly, her hands moving immediately to grip her desk. "Then what in devil's name is he doing here?!"

"You'd have to ask Sai."

"Oh I will, bring them here!" she gave him a shooing gesture.

"There's one more thing Tsunade-sama..." Neji hesitated, how should he put this?

"Spit it out then."

"There's magick in his blood."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise before lowering into a frown. "Is he a demon or a hunter?"

"Neither. At first glance the magicks appear dormant but perhaps not for much longer. Its hard to tell without asking him but he may have been experiencing the early effects for a while now."

"It's very late for someone to discover their magicks." Shikamaru spoke anxiously.

"So he is weak?" Tsunade asked, surely he must be weak if he magicks were only just beginning to surface.

"On the contrary, from what I can tell at this early stage he is very strong."

"How strong?"

"It's impossible to tell before they fully emerge but perhaps as strong as the Uchiha."

Tsunade cursed under her breath, her hands scrunching the map that was spread over her desk.

"He would make a valuable alley..." Shikamaru said slowly.

"Or a formidable foe," Neji finished.

"The later they encounter the decision the more difficult it will be," Tsunade said ponderously. "Most Hunters grow up with their powers developing slowly but the longer they remain dormant the more quickly they will emerge and if he is strong... the power may be too much for him."

The other three nodded slowly in agreement.

"So what do we do?" pressed Shizune.

Tsunade thought carefully for a moment, "You are sure of what you felt, Neji?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Then we must break it to him gently... He will not be able to leave the coven of course. I should meet him. Neji, where is he?"

A distant look passed over Neji's face as he checked. "With Sasuke."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know. Sai and the girls took him to the Uchiha's rooms and he's alone with Sasuke now." Neji had of course kept the boy under his radar since he first sensed him.

"Well then fetch him and the Uchiha and I'll have a talk with them both."

**-0-  
**

In truth he was surprised, and Sasuke was rarely surprised. He hadn't expected this guy to follow him, most people wouldn't have done so. Even if he had saved their life, most people would still have left when he told them to and wouldn't have told anyone for fear of being thought mad. Not that he encountered people very often.

The fierce young man had just opened his mouth to ask why he couldn't have his answers again but Sasuke thought it best to cut him off.

"Look..."

An indignant look spread across the mans face as Sasuke waited for his name. "Naruto, my name is Naruto! Not that anyone bothered to find out!"

"That's because your name doesn't matter," Sasuke told him bluntly. "All that matters is that you need to leave this place right now, while you still can. You need to go back to your normal life and forget everything you've seen tonight!"

Sasuke knew if he didn't get this guy to leave soon they'd all be in trouble. But then again he'd never really cared about the rules. No, it wasn't getting in trouble that bothered him but the fact that this man was unusual. Sasuke hadn't talked to another 'normal' person in a long time and it felt utterly wrong for this guy to be here poking around.

Sasuke liked his secret lifestyle. The lifestyle of a dedicated Hunter. Some Hunters found it hard to lie to their family and friends but Sasuke didn't have the luxury of worrying about that. The moment he had joined the Hunt he had felt that he was home. Now this man was here and he was a threat to the coven's secrecy.

"I can't go back to my normal life!" Naruto protested. Sasuke looked up when he heard the break in the others voice. "I have no life, not any more!"

Sasuke didn't know what to say but he was saved from having to figure it out when there was a knock at the door.

"Sasuke? You and your guest need to come with me. Tsunade-sama would like a word with you both."

Sasuke groaned at the sound of Neji's posh accent. All hopes of keeping the blond a secret were gone the minute Naruto had encountered Neji. Few things got past that guy.

He looked at Naruto to see a confused and, to Sasuke's pleasure, fearful look on his face. He pulled the door open to reveal the long-haired Hyuuga.

**-0-**

Naruto recognised the pale-eyed man with a shock.

What was going on? Was he in trouble? What would they do to him? 'Judging by what I've seen of these peoples violent nature it's probably going to be something really painful!'

"Come on, Dobe." Naruto felt Sasuke walk up behind him. "You missed your chance to escape. Congrats, looks like you might get some answers now," the raven hissed in his ear, his voice, so full of contempt, made Naruto shiver involuntarily.

Naruto gave the long-haired man a nervous glance before Sasuke gave him a push out of the door. They followed the man through more winding underground tunnels. Naruto couldn't help feeling very glad that he had never suffered from claustrophobia. Every tunnel they travelled along had countless identical doors at seemingly random intervals. Naruto found it utterly confusing. 'How the hell do these people find their way around here?!'

Finally they stopped at another unmarked door. Their guide knocked before entering and they were led into what looked like a office. Naruto took in the three people waiting for them.

"Good job Neji," said the woman behind the desk who Naruto assumed was 'Tsunade-sama'. "Care to explain the situation, Sasuke?"

Her voice gave no room for argument. Naruto looked nervously at Sasuke who appeared perfectly calm.

"There is little to explain, Tsunade-sama. Unfortunately this idiot witnessed me deal with a vampire. Despite my best _persuasion_ he followed me. I thought I had lost him until Sai brought him to my door a while ago. You will have to ask Sai for more details."

"I certainly will. But for now..." she turned her piercing gaze on Naruto. "Why exactly did you follow Sasuke?"

Naruto stood up a little straighter at his chance to explain. "Because this bastard owes me an apology!"

"Oh...?" Tsunade looked curiously at Sasuke who glared in the opposite direction, unconsciously pouting.

"Yeah! He burned my house down!"

Tsunade's gaze sharpened and she fixed the Sasuke with a calculating stare. "Sasuke, is this true?"

"Hn."

"Why does this provoke a feeling of déjà vu?"

Sasuke's head snapped towards her, his glare intensifying. As they stared each other down Naruto's eyes flicked between the two trying to understand what Tsunade was referring to.

"That is no longer a problem," Sasuke said stiffly.

Naruto's mind once again tried to figure out the cryptic message but it was no use. The more time Naruto spent here the more questions arose.

**-0-**

"That maybe, Sasuke, but it's still a big mistake. I mean, burning someone's house down?" said Tsunade in a tired voice.

"It wasn't a house!" Sasuke burst out, his anger evident as he clenched his fists by his sides. "It was a cardboard box!"

"Oh..."

"It was _my_ house!" shouted Naruto.

Tsunade looked at the boy curiously. He was homeless anyway. Following Sasuke might have been the best decision he'd ever made. He would definitely have to stay here. The Hunt could teach him their ways... but it would be difficult. There was no telling how this would end.

"Well you won't be needing it now anyway," Tsunade said firmly.

The boy turned away from the Uchiha he had been glaring down to stare fearfully at her.

Deep blue eyes seemed to quiver slightly as he spoke, "Why? What are you going to do with me?"

"Do with you...? You seem to think we are as bad as the Yakuza," Tsunade gave a bitter laugh. "What's your name?"

"Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Well Naruto, you should know, we are the good guys here. From now on you live here."

"What?!" Both Sasuke and Naruto burst out at the same time.

**-0-**

Sasuke could barely believe what he was hearing. What the hell was she thinking?!

"He's staying?" asked Sasuke quickly. "Can't we wipe his memories and send him away?"

"Oh? And how do you propose we do that?"

Sasuke ignored how Naruto was now watching him with shock and curiosity. "Kakashi could do it."

"You know very well his methods are only temporary."

"Ino then."

"True, she could turn his mind to mush. But would you really wish that fate on anyone?"

Sasuke hesitated. He had seen Ino's victims after she was finished with them. No, he wouldn't wish that on anyone, even someone as annoying as the blond. But he was still tempted to lie.

"I thought not," said Tsunade before he had a chance to reply. "Naruto, I will assign you your own rooms. Unfortunately you will not be permitted to leave the coven but hopefully you will enjoy your stay."

"I'm not allowed to leave..." Naruto said quietly.

It was the first quiet thing Sasuke had heard him say and he couldn't help looking around at the boy when he heard Naruto's sad tone. The blond was looking at the floor. He expected Naruto to argue but the next second he was looking back at Tsunade.

"Okay, I'll stay. But what am I supposed to do lying around underground?"

"Don't worry we'll keep you busy," said Tsunade.

Sasuke eyed her suspiciously. There was a glint in her eye that he didn't like. Next second he was even more wary when she sent Neji to find Sai and then asked Naruto to wait outside. The blond gave Sasuke a questioning look which went ignored as he passed the raven.

"What's going on?" asked Sasuke as soon as the door closed.

"Was the vampire you encountered after him?"

"Yes, why?"

"Figures, he probably seemed like a tasty treat."

"Care to explain?" asked Sasuke impatiently.

"He has magick in his blood," said Tsunade heavily.

"What? How do you know?"

"Few things get past Neji."

Sasuke was silent for a moment. It explained why the vampire he had chased earlier that night hadn't gone straight into hiding; she must have encountered Naruto and couldn't resist. 'Tch, vampire's are such primitive creatures... no restraint.'

"Why haven't his powers manifested?"

"Neji believes he is in the early stages," explained Shikamaru. "It's unusual but not unheard of for people to develop late."

"So that's why you're keeping him here? To keep an eye on him when they hit him for real?"

"Exactly."

"And if he can't handle it?" Sasuke asked knowing the answer.

"We'll deal with him accordingly," said Tsunade.

"Business as usual," confirmed Sasuke.

He knew how it worked. Whenever a Hunter couldn't handle their powers they were 'dealt with'. It had to be that way. A Hunter without the willpower to fight the demonic pull of their blood magick was a danger to the entire Hunt. They were demons.

"I want you to train him," said Tsunade, taking advantage of Sasuke's silence.

"What? Why me?"

"Because I know you can handle it. You are one of the strongest hunters in our coven and... you of all people know the struggle he will face."

"We all know the struggle," replied Sasuke stubbornly.

"No. Most of us do not know it to the same extent, Sasuke. He is strong."

Sasuke looked her in the eye; he knew what that meant. He glanced to her companions, from their faces he could tell... they didn't know if Naruto could win.

He thought of Naruto. The guy was annoying that was for sure, but he was also determined, he had proved that much already tonight. Sasuke had to believe that with his strong will Naruto could fight his demonic side and win.

"He'll win."

"I really hope so," said Tsunade seriously. "There's a free set of rooms down the hall from you. Introduce him to some people. Get him some new clothes. Train him in basic combat before you bring in any powers. I'll let you break the news to him."

"Lucky me," said Sasuke sarcastically, turning to leave.

As he set his hand on the doorknob her voice stopped him again.

"Oh, and Sasuke?" he turned back in time to see her smile sadistically. "Be nice."

The Uchiha was out of her office and down the corridor so fast that Naruto, who had been leaning against the wall outside, barely noticed him pass until he was already turning the corner.

"Oi! Teme!" shouted Naruto running after him.


	4. A Rude Awakening

"This is your room," said Sasuke sullenly.

Naruto gaped a bit. It was probably about the same as Sasuke's room but he hadn't really been looking at the Uchiha's room whilst he was being strangled. The bedroom wasn't very big but it was still a lot nicer than anywhere he could ever remember living. The furnishings were old and traditional. A thick rug lay in the middle of the room over hard stone, there was a desk, love-seat, chest of drawers and a wardrobe made of the same sturdy, dark wood as the queen-size four poster bed.

"I'll get the girls to go shopping for you."

"Shopping?"

"You can't wear those rags forever," Sasuke said dismissively.

"They're not rags!"

"Whatever," Naruto growled slightly but Sasuke ignored him. "It's nearly sunrise. Do you want dinner now or do you just want to go to sleep?"

"Dinner?" Naruto frowned in confusion.

"Yeah, the kitchen is back near the lounge."

"Dinner at sunrise?" Naruto asked again.

Sasuke suddenly realised what he was getting at. "The whole Hunt is nocturnal. There's no point being awake in the daytime when we can't hunt until nightfall."

"I suppose so," said Naruto thoughtfully. "So do you all have powers? Like your lightening and Ino's... mind-melting?"

"Yeah, we do..."

Sasuke looked away distractedly. Naruto walked over to the bed running a hand over the covers before throwing himself down on them. A small smile spread across his face at how comfy it was.

**-0-**

Sasuke watched Naruto stretch out on his new bed. How the hell was he supposed to break the news to him. How did one tell some homeless guy that he would soon gain powers that may be beyond his ability to control. First he needed to know which of the early symptoms he was showing.

"Say... Naruto?"

"Hmm?" Naruto looked up.

"Have you noticed anything strange recently?" probed Sasuke.

"Strange? You mean other than the existence of vampires and you people?"

"Yeah. Like how good is your night vision?"

Naruto sat up looking thoughtful. "It's good I guess. I mean I managed to see okay on the staircase leading down here."

'Very good then. The only light on that staircase is what leaks through the doors at either end.'

"Okay. How about your hearing?"

"I've never had any hearing problems, why?"

Sasuke ignored his question. "What about your sense of smell?"

"It's good, although that's a bad thing if you live where I do." Naruto pulled a face.

"Have you ever caught a cold?"

Naruto hesitated. Sasuke could almost see the gears turning in his brain. It was unusual not to get ill at some point during your life especially if you're living in less than pleasant conditions.

"Not that I remember. Heh, guess I must have a good immune system," said Naruto lightly.

"Neji-san was right..." muttered Sasuke.

He hadn't completely believed it but now all the signs were pointing toward the same conclusion.

"Right about what?"

"You met Neji on your way here didn't you?"

"I passed by him. He gave me such a weird look."

"Hmm."

Sasuke walked across the room to sit on the desk chair. Naruto was now sitting on the edge of his bed watching Sasuke think.

"Look! Are you going to give me some answers or are you going to keep asking random questions?!"

Sasuke gave him a long look before sighing softly, "Neji and his cousin are powerful Hunters. They can sense the magick within the blood of every demon and Hunter in this city if they put their minds together."

"Sense the magick...?"

"Yes the blood magick that resides within all of us here," Sasuke looked Naruto directly in the eye. "Including you."

"What?" shouted Naruto, jumping to his feet. "That's stupid! I'm not like you people! I'm not supposed to be here!"

"Yes you are. It all adds up. The reason you followed me-"

"I followed you because you owe me an apology!"

"You followed me because you were drawn to the coven, to my magick, the magicks of the people here and the ancient magick which protects our home," Sasuke explained calmly.

"That's ridiculous!"

"It's not. You yourself have admitted to feeling the early effects of magick. The heightened senses, the strong immune system, you've even developed your sixth sense."

"A sixth sense?"

"Yes. It is the sixth sense that led you here. You felt the pull. I also believe you used it to get past our doorman."

"That was a lucky guess!"

"Denial is a common part of the transition. But once your powers really manifest you'll need to except your fate."

Sasuke faced Naruto with a deadly serious look in his eye. The boy was looking properly frightened for the first time since he had arrived. A small, unwilling part of Sasuke felt sorry for him. It was a horrible position to be in, but they had all had to go through it and so would he.

**-0-**

Naruto felt quite sick as his knees gave way and he sunk onto the edge of the bed. This couldn't be real. 'This is the most surreal day I've ever had! These people are crazy! Either that or they're not real... which means I'm crazy.'

"One last question," Naruto glanced up at him, wondering if it could possibly get worse. "What's your favourite colour?"

Naruto was stumped, this guy clearly didn't get out much... but of course he didn't, the nocturnal bastard. "Orange, why?"

"Nevermind. I expect you wish to sleep right now but we can continue this conversation when you wake up."

Naruto nodded dumbly. He was in total shock but Sasuke was right; he was tired. So... so tired. He let himself fall back on the bed. It was comfy and warm and if he slept he wouldn't need to think about anything. But Sasuke was talking again.

"Suigetsu, I know you're there."

Naruto managed to keep his eyes open long enough to see a pale man slip out of the wall and into his room but then he sunk into unconsciousness.

**-0-**

Suigetsu grinned as he separated himself from the wall. "Making friends, Sasuke?"

"Must you always eavesdrop?"

Suigetsu faked an offended expression, "You make me out to be an insatiable gossip."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as Suigetsu's face broke into a sharp-toothed grin. Ignoring his fellow Hunter, Sasuke walked over to where Naruto was already fast asleep. The boy had had a long and difficult night, unfortunately his life wasn't going to get easier anytime soon.

"Not molesting the poor guy in his sleep, are we Sasuke?" taunted Suigetsu following him over to peer at Naruto. "He isn't exactly an eyesore though..."

Sasuke continued to ignore the other and he bent down to look at the bottom of Naruto's battered converse. He could barely read the size they were so worn out. "Size 29(1)," he muttered, straightening again to take in Naruto's sleeping form. "Probably only one size bigger than me... but orange? What terrible taste."

Suigetsu gave a sharp laugh from behind him that caused Naruto to grunt and turn over. "You going shopping Sasuke?"

"No. Ino and Sakura are, since it's partly their fault he ended up here in the first place."

"But they'll enjoy it so it's not much of a punishment really."

"I don't care, as long as I don't have to do it."

Sasuke found Ino and Sakura in the lounge, gave them Naruto's sizes and told them he liked orange but not to go overboard with it. Judging by the way they both dressed solely in their favourite colour he didn't trust them not to buy Naruto as much orange as they could find. Then Suigetsu might have to rethink his statement that Naruto wasn't an eyesore.

**-0-**

Naruto was awoken by a gentle hand on his shoulder. Before he opened his eyes he sent out a silent prayer that it was all just a nightmare.

"Naruto? Wake up, it's breakfast time."

He cracked an eye open to find Sasuke's face very close to his. Dark eyes watched as Naruto stared in surprise at the Uchiha. As Sasuke straightened Naruto took in what he was wearing; a tank top with net sleeves and, Naruto gulped, tight leather trousers.

"What are you staring at?" asked Sasuke innocently, leaning closer and batting long dark lashes.

Naruto coughed looking away from the alluring sight. "Nothing."

"Sure," drawled Sasuke disbelievingly. "Your new clothes are on the sofa."

Naruto looked to the foot of his bed to find several large bags from shops he had never even dared to set foot in. He leapt out of bed so quickly Sasuke had to jump back to avoid a collision.

"Wow! Are these all for me?" said Naruto excitedly pulling several items from their bags. Then his face fell a little, he knew how expensive some of these shops were. "But these must have cost a lot..."

"You think the club upstairs is only for show? It's a very profitable business and the source of our funding," said Sasuke with a sly smile. "Go on, try them on, bet they look good on you!"

Naruto blushed a little at Sasuke's strange comment but nodded anyway. He picked out a long sleeved orange top with black straps and buckles attached, then some black ripped jeans.

He turned to Sasuke, "Er... mind giving me some privacy?"

"Do I have to?"

"What?!" Naruto gave Sasuke a shocked look.

Something was different about Sasuke. True, Naruto didn't really know him yet but he was sure the Sasuke from yesterday wouldn't have said something so forward.

"Okay then, since you're so shy, I'll just put away the rest of the clothes."

Naruto waited until Sasuke had his back turned and was hanging up his new clothes in the wardrobe. Then he slipped off his old clothes and worn out converse and changed into the brand new clothes. Now Naruto understood why Sasuke had asked his favourite colour. He must have guessed his size right too since the clothes fitted perfectly.

He was just pulling the orange top over his head when he felt Sasuke move behind him. He jumped a little when slender fingers helped him pull the top down, grazing the tanned skin of his hips as they did so.

"I can dress myself you know," Naruto voice hitched involuntarily as he spoke.

He felt those cool fingers brush his skin again. As Sasuke ran his hands over Naruto's abdomen he rested his head between Naruto's shoulder blades.

"I know that," he said softly.

Naruto couldn't help the shiver that ran through his body at the feel of Sasuke pressed so close to him. His warmth was intoxicating and that low voice speaking into the crook of his neck was clouding his mind. Suddenly something occurred to him.

"Weren't you a bit taller than me yesterday?"

"I'm not wearing my boots right now," he could almost hear the pout in Sasuke's voice.

"I'm taller than you?" Naruto asked grinning stupidly.

"Don't rub it in," Sasuke said just as the door opened.

Naruto looked up and his jaw dropped. He had thought he was crazy before but now it seemed he was seeing things. In the doorway stood Sasuke who was looking equally surprised as his calculating eyes flickered from Naruto to eyes the same as his which watched him over Naruto's shoulder. A slight blush adorned the new Sasuke's pale cheeks as he saw where his doppelgänger's hands were. Behind Naruto's back the first Sasuke smirked at the new arrival.

"Naruto," said the second Sasuke to a panicked looking blond. "Get away from her."

"Her? Who are you talking-"

"He's referring to me," said a female voice behind him.

Naruto jumped, spinning around to face the short woman behind him.

"What the hell?!" he shouted in confusion backing away from her.

"Since when do I wear leather trousers?" Sasuke asked her sternly.

"Well there was that one time..."

"Shut up."

"Hello people?! I'd like an explanation, right now!"

"Naruto, this is Karin, she's a shape-shifter," then he raised his voice. "Suigetsu, you can show yourself too!"

Next second Naruto saw the same person he had glimpsed this morning walk straight through his wall. Naruto again gaped. This was the weirdest morning he'd ever had... or was it evening?

"You owe me 2000 Yen," Karin said triumphantly pointing at Suigetsu.

"Yeah yeah," said Suigetsu counting out the money as he turned to Naruto. "Somehow I just didn't think you were gay."

"What?! I'm not gay!" burst Naruto.

"You are, you were loving me as Sasuke!" shouted Karin.

Naruto felt his face burn and knew Sasuke was looking at him, "Well I'm not totally gay."

"You're bi?" asked Suigetsu.

"Yeah."

"Close enough," said Karin. "Pay up Suigetsu."

"Get lost! You bet he was gay, therefore you were wrong! You should be paying me!"

"Like hell I lost!" shouted Karin.

As the both of them started arguing Sasuke pushed between them. He snatched the money from Suigetsu's hand and gave it to Naruto.

"Since you were betting at Naruto's expense and you both lost he can have the money." As Suigetsu opened his mouth to argue and Karin began to laugh at him Sasuke held his hand out to Karin. "And I'll take your loss since you used my form in such a distasteful way."

There was much moaning before Karin finally handed over the cash and they both left. Sasuke and Naruto were left in an awkward silence.

"Well I came to wake you up but I see someone already did that for me," said Sasuke to break the silence.

"She sure did. Is everyone here as crazy as those two?"

"Not really. Those two were orphans and both had behavioural problems from a young age which they never really grew out of."

"Right... So does the whole 'Hunt' live here?"

"No, it's mainly the younger ones. A lot of the older Hunters live within the city, working along side mortals and going about their duties at night. There are similar safe-houses like this one for Hunter's in other cities."

Naruto thought this over for a minute. He supposed it made sense, or as much sense as any of this could make. Sasuke, it seemed, had finally decided to give him answers to his questions, perhaps because he knew Naruto wasn't going anywhere. He chanced a glance at Sasuke, who thankfully wasn't looking at him. He was looking at the clothes Sakura and Ino had brought. Then Naruto noticed them, a pair of heavy black boots on the floor by the sofa. They were just like Sasuke's except that these had red and yellow flames adorning the toes. Naruto stared at them, they were so cool!

Sasuke must have noticed him staring because he spoke with a smirk in his voice. "Why don't you try them on?"

"Hell yeah I will!"

It took him a while to figure out the many buckles and clips but once he did he laced them up properly and stood. He looked down at the flame patterns, then over at his reflection in the wardrobe mirror. He looked so different in these clothes, but he liked it. He gave an experimental jump in the boots; they were heavy and sturdy. With the metal bits on the toes Naruto could imagine it would hurt a lot if he were to kick someone with these on.

"It's cold underground so I told Sakura and Ino to find you a coat. If you put it on we can go for breakfast."

A bit more rummaging revealed a black long coat. As Naruto held it up it unfolded to reveal a pattern of orange flames along the bottom.

"Wow I really need to thank those girls," said Naruto as he threw the coat on, it fitted perfectly just like everything else had. "They're really good shoppers."

"They jumped at the chance."

Naruto grinned at Sasuke who turned away without another word to lead the way to the food hall. Naruto rolled his eyes. Sasuke may have decided to give him answers now but he was still a cold bastard and Naruto found he preferred it that way. "Overly-friendly-Sasuke may have been totally hot but it was still a little creepy.'

* * *

**A/N:**

(1) No Naruto isn't a giant it's Japanese shoe sizes.

Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed, it means a lot to me :D I'm going to apoligise straight away for my love of dressing the Naruto characters in odd clothes... especially leather. n-n; And yeah I know most of the characters powers are inspired by their signature jutsu but I decided to break that tradition with Karin, mainly because the Hyuuga's already have the magick sensing covered and I didn't want to give her healing blood... that and this way was more fun. XD

-Yasu


	5. A Warm Welcome

To get to the food-hall Sasuke led Naruto through the lounge where a few people were milling around and down the corridor at the other end of the bar. The food-hall was packed with more Hunters most of them dressed in clothes similar to Naruto's new ones.

The same girl he had seen throwing the knife when he'd arrived yesterday was now sitting at a long dark wood table pointing her finger around the room causing a trail of silver cutlery to fly around, winding between the unfazed Hunters. Then she made eye contact with Naruto. There was a mischievous glint in her eye as she pointed at him. Next second he was forced to duck as the cutlery flew directly at him. He heard the cutlery crash into the wall behind him before it all landed on top of him.

Several people laughed as she shouted out, "Nice reflexes, Newbie!"

"That was cruel Tenten," said the strange looking boy beside her.

He was wearing tight green leather trousers with an orange belt, matching green t-shirt and green leather jacket. Naruto tried not to stare at the boys eyebrows as he walked briskly over. He grinned showing dazzling white teeth.

"You are Naruto-kun, are you not?" he held out his hand for Naruto to shake.

"How do you know?" asked Naruto as his hand was taken in a strong grip.

"Suigetsu told us all about you of course!" he beamed at Naruto again. "My name is Rock Lee and your attacker over there is Tenten." Naruto smiled warily at her, keeping an eye out for more projectiles. Lee saw his face and gave Naruto a hard pat on the back. "Don't worry she was only messing with you. Anyway what do you want for breakfast? I'm cooking today!"

"Erm..." he looked to Sasuke for help but the other was already sitting at the table. "I'll have whatever you're having, please Lee-san."

"Excellent choice my friend!" the excitable boy shouted. "I'll make us a healthy breakfast to promote strength in our youthful bodies!"

As Lee bounced around the kitchen area Naruto took a seat beside Sasuke. He couldn't help looking around at the Hunters. On the outside they just looked like extremely dressed punks but Naruto knew that wasn't the case. He watched Sasuke take a sip of his coffee as he perused the newspaper, it seemed like such a normal thing to do.

A moment later two familiar girls settled at the table in front of Naruto. They looked him over once before nodding to each other.

"So you're staying then?" asked Ino.

"Yeah."

"And you liked the clothes?" asked Sakura.

"Very much, thank you!"

"Good," said Ino.

"I think we got off to a bad start," Sakura said with a smile as she extended a hand. "My name is Haruno Sakura." Naruto had his hand shaken in her firm grip. "And this is my girlfriend, Yamanaka Ino."

"Girlfriend...?" Naruto repeated as Ino also shook his hand.

"Yeah as in that kind of girlfriend," the blonde clarified.

"Ooh..."

"But I hear you're bi anyway, so assume you don't have a problem with it?" said Sakura in a tone that told Naruto he better not have a problem with it.

"Er no... but how do you know I'm bi?!"

"Suigetsu's a terrible gossip," she told him.

Both girls smiled as he buried his burning face in his hands. It was only his first day here and already it seemed the whole coven knew more about him than he'd ever let on to anyone in his entire life!

Naruto was saved from further embarrassment when Lee produced breakfast. He set down in front of Naruto a bowlful of muesili, a tall glass of some thick green liquid, a banana, an apple and a wholegrain bagel smothered in peanut butter.

"Tuck in my friend!" shouted Lee as he sat down with an identical breakfast.

Naruto looked pleadingly at the girls who were sniggering at his predicament. Giving up on any help from them he turned to Sasuke beside him, motioning at the large meal. The raven gave him a long unsympathetic look before stealing his apple.

It took Naruto a long time to eat his breakfast, he left half the muesili and took one sniff of the suspicious looking drink before pouring it away. They had moved to the lounge at about 10pm and Sasuke had left for the surface a little while later. It was about 4am and Naruto was still finding it hard to grasp that he had eaten lunch at midnight. Sakura and Ino had shown him around the coven earlier, including a musty old library where Sai was ordering books as part of his punishment for bringing an outsider to the coven, although the man seemed to be enjoying it a bit too much for Naruto to believe it was really a fitting punishment. After Sakura had made Sai find her a book the three had spent most of the night in the lounge watching the Hunters pass through.

Naruto looked over at Sakura and Ino who lay comfortably on one of the many velvet sofas, "What's Lee's power?"

Sakura looked up at him, "Hmm it's not an obvious power like most of ours but if I had to choose one I'd say it's his speed, he's incredibly fast. He's also got endless energy and he heals really quickly, but that might be thanks to his diet."

"Cool. So then Sasuke has lightening," said Naruto ticking them off with his fingers, "Karin is the shape-shifter, Suigetsu walks through walls-"

"And pretty much anything else he wants to," added Ino.

"-Lee is fast, Neji and his cousin sense magick-"

"It's not quite as simple as that but go on."

"Right, so then Tenten..."

"Is telekinetic."

"Okay... And Ino melts peoples minds-"

"I do what?" interrupted Ino, sitting bolt upright.

"Turn their minds to mush. Sasuke suggested you do it to me because he didn't want me to stay here."

"He suggested I do that..." Ino looked thoughtful. "You know Naruto-kun that's the extreme of my power."

"The 'extreme'?"

"Yeah, basically I'm able to confuse my enemies minds, mess with their senses and such making it very hard to them to fight well. But if I can get a good grip on their head, like this," she placed her hands over Sakura's temples, "Then I can cause them permanent brain damage."

Naruto nodded. As he looked at Sakura he felt a sudden admiration, he knew he wouldn't be able to sit their, unflinching, when he knew Ino could do that.

"What's your power, Sakura?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Who me?" she said sweetly. "I'm but a weak young woman."

Ino laughed at her performance and Sakura smiled obligingly. Then she stood up, walked around the sofa Ino was sitting on and gripped the back. Without breaking a sweat she lifted the sofa and her girlfriend clean off the ground. At hearing Naruto's gasp she set the seat back down and jumped over the back to sit beside Ino again, satisfied that she had impressed him.

As the conversation lapsed Naruto's mind was drawn to Sasuke, "Is Sasuke out hunting vampires?" he asked the girls.

"We don't just hunt vampires you know," Naruto jumped at the voice directly behind him. He turned to see Neji smiling at him. "It's a full moon tonight so most probably Sasuke's after a werewolf, they tend to make a nuisance of themselves during the full moon."

"A nuisance?"

Neji nodded as he settled himself into an old armchair and crossed his legs neatly. He was wearing an expensive looking cloak, black trousers and a white medieval styled shirt, the sleeves of which were tucked into arm guards. Naruto thought he looked as though he'd walked out of the history books.

"They're a nuisance but werewolves and vampires are not the greatest threats we face," explained Neji. "There are levels of evil within the world, Naruto-kun. At the bottom are the common filth; hybrids such as vampires and werewolves who exist because of viruses. And at the top are the demons. It might interest you to know that the Yakuza consists of mostly top-level demons."

"Really? But why don't the normal people notice?"

"People don't see what they don't want to, otherwise we wouldn't have survived this long."

"How old is the Hunt then?"

"Very old. You've noticed the age of this underground labyrinth?" Naruto nodded. "There wasn't always a club up there," Neji said pointing at the ceiling. "A long time ago there was a church and these quarters were used for worship. The Hunters of that era went by a different name. They were called 'witches' and this was their ground of worship. The protection enchantments they placed over the area were so strong they remain to this day, protecting the descendants of the witches." Sakura and Ino smiled at Neji's storytelling and Naruto's obvious interest. "I suppose you've heard of the famous witch hunts?" Naruto nodded again. "It's believed they started when ordinary people discovered the extent to the witches magick. They were afraid and offended that people they deemed 'evil' gathered in a church of God to worship him, just as they did. They feared that God would punish them all because of the 'sins' of the witches. Some of the old stories tell of how the ringleaders of the witch hunts themselves became so obsessed with their 'purification' that they accused the innocent and eventually became what we now know as 'demons'."

"Storytelling are we Neji-san?" said a cold voice behind Naruto.

The gathered party looked up at a dripping Sasuke, it was obviously raining heavily on the surface.

"Just thought he might like to know a bit of the Hunt's history," said Neji pleasantly.

"Those stories are merely myths, there is very little truth in them," Sasuke told Naruto firmly.

"But I thought vampire's were a myth yesterday," Naruto pointed out.

Sasuke's jaw clenched. "Come with me," he ordered, turning away.

"I don't take orders from you!" said Naruto stubbornly.

Sasuke looked over his shoulder to give the blond a sceptical look. "I've been put in charge of training you, so from now on you _do_ take orders from me."

Naruto glared but followed Sasuke from the lounge and back into the labyrinth. Sasuke walked briskly along the passages and Naruto found himself looking at the large slabs of stone that seemed to be everywhere around here.

"If Neji's story is just a myth, how did this place come to exist?" he asked Sasuke's back.

The Uchiha didn't stop but he slowed down a little. "I didn't say there was no truth in them... history tells us that this is in fact holy ground. But his theory of the witch hunt leaders magically becoming demons is just for dramatic purposes. Most likely the demons started the witch hunt in the first place as a guise under which to exterminate us."

"Oh..." Naruto supposed that made sense.

Sasuke led him through another unmarked door and Naruto found himself standing on a platform at the edge of a cavernous room. Every room Naruto had seen so far had low ceilings and a claustrophobic feel to them but this one... was huge. The ceiling was dome shaped and from the centre of the dome hung a great brazier full of that same pale fire that burned everywhere within the coven. There were twin staircases leading down to the floor and once they had descended the left hand one Naruto moved into the middle of the room drinking in the sight.

"Neji would tell you this is where they used to perform their 'rituals'," said Sasuke mockingly. "I don't know what it was used for but now it's our main sparring room."

"Is that what we're doing now? Sparring? You said you were put in charge of training me."

"We'll get to that later," said Sasuke his voice turning serious. "Naruto... There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"You need to understand the situation between Hunters and demons."

"Neji was telling me a while ago."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What did he tell you?"

"That there are lower levels of evil like vampires and werewolves and then top level demons like those in the Yakuza. And that the Hunt has always fought them."

"Okay, but what I need to tell you is about how a demon is formed."

"How they're _formed_? Aren't they just born demons?"

"No, just as we are not born Hunters, they are not born demons," Sasuke said slowly walking closer to the centre of the room. "Sometimes a child is born with magick in their blood. For their first 13 years they may live a normal life, though they are unlikely to ever fall ill. Any time after their 13th birthday their powers may emerge. You know the early signs." Naruto nodded. "The first time their powers appear will usually be at a time when their emotions are running high. Soon after they use their powers for the first time they will face a decision."

Naruto had been listening intently as the Uchiha explained all this but at the mention of a decision he met Sasuke's eyes. There was a strange emotion hidden within those depths. "What kind of decision?"

"Whether to become a Hunter or... a demon."

Naruto gaped for a moment. "That's how demons are formed? But why would anyone choose to be a demon?" The mere idea seemed ridiculous to Naruto.

"It's not as easy as a yes or no choice," snapped Sasuke. "The pull of the demonic magicks in our blood is strong. You can't even _begin_ to imagine how hard it is to control the demonic urges until you _experience_ it."

"So I'm going to have to face the same choice as everyone here. But if they managed to fight it, surely I can too."

"Do not underestimate the demonic magicks. Yes, everyone else here has conquered their urges. But for people like us it's not as easy."

"Us?"

"Yes, us. Me and you are different. The stronger we are the more difficult the fight is. I am one of the strongest Hunters in this coven... and Neji believes you are strong too."

Naruto looked away, this was beginning to sound very risky. "What will happen if I can't fight it?"

"If you lose... you will be a demon, our enemy and therefore a target."

Naruto's head snapped around to look at Sasuke. "If I can't win this fight they'll kill me," he confirmed.

"Yes."

Naruto searched Sasuke's face for any emotion but the Uchiha had his mask firmly in place. Those black eyes watched as Naruto sunk slowly to his knees on the cold stone.

"What the hell am I going to do?" asked Naruto miserably.

"You're going to fight," Sasuke answered firmly. Naruto looked up at the Uchiha standing over him. "If I can stand here, now, a Hunter, so can you."

Sasuke extended a hand to Naruto. Deep blue eyes looked at the pale hand for a moment before Naruto grasped the slender fingers and allowed Sasuke to pull him up.

* * *

**A/N: **Hope you liked it, I have to say I'm having so much fun writing this because it's supernatural and gives me room to be creative... that and I'm writing about my favourite characters! Please review, they always mean so much to me

-Yasu


	6. Control

When night fell again Naruto got up and headed for his en suite bathroom. Sasuke's words from yesterday still echoed in mind.

_"You're going to fight."_

Damn right he was going to fight. If the Uchiha bastard was capable of being a Hunter then Naruto could do it to.

"I won't lose to you, teme," he muttered as he climbed out of the shower.

"Talking to yourself?"

Naruto spun around to find Suigetsu's head sticking through the bathroom door.

"What the hell?" he yelled, quickly covering himself with a towel. "Just because you don't _need_ to use a door doesn't mean you don't have to knock!"

Suigetsu cackled evilly still looking Naruto over, "Sasuke sent me," he said conversationally, pulling out of the door as Naruto opened it and walked into his room. "He said you're to meet him in the arena after breakfast."

"Damn bastard giving orders again," muttered Naruto, searching through his new clothes. "Wait... there's an arena?" he asked turning back to Suigetsu who was lazing on his bed.

"You went there yesterday didn't you?"

"That big sparring place?"

"That's the one."

"Ah... right. Hang on if you guys are nocturnal shouldn't you say 'yesternight'?"

Suigetsu let out another short cackle, "Yeah, but then we'd have to call lunch a midnight feast etcetera etcetera and it'd all get too damn confusing."

"It's already damn confusing," Naruto protested. "Anyway do you mind giving me some privacy?" Naruto made shooing gestures at the annoying man.

"Do I have to?" asked Suigetsu with a sly grin.

Naruto fought a blush as Sasuke/Karin's words from yesterday were repeated. He moved quickly, snatching up one of his old converse and throwing it at Suigetsu. But it never made contact as the grinning man sunk down through Naruto's bed and out of sight. Naruto checked quickly under the bed before getting changed.

"These people are so weird," he muttered as he pulled on his boots.

But weird as they were they had been good to him. He was certainly having more fun down here with the crazies than he had been having on the surface. It was just a waiting game now, until his powers came out... if they even did. Despite everything there was still a small part of Naruto that doubted Neji's analysis of him. What if he didn't discover any amazing powers? Then what? Would he be forced to live in poverty amongst normal people again, with the knowledge of the war that was happening under everyone's noses? Naruto knew he wouldn't be able to go back to that life. But perhaps if Ino melted his brain he wouldn't need to worry about the Hunters war. He shuddered at the thought; even Sasuke had admitted he wouldn't wish that on anyone.

In the kitchen he tactfully avoided Lee's generous offer of breakfast and had toast instead. Then he hurried away back into the main labyrinth. After several twists and turns he realised he couldn't remember the path Sasuke had taken yesterday. Panicking slightly he tried to retrace his steps.

Not looking where he was going he turned a corner only to have a short person bounce right off him. She fell back on the floor with a small squeak.

"Oh crap, I'm sorry!" he apologised immediately reaching out a hand to help her up.

As soon as she looked up his continued apology died in his throat. He knew instantly who this must be when pale lilac eyes looked up at him timidly. Naruto helped the girl to her feet and she blushed madly looking anywhere but at him. Her long hair was darker than her cousins and she lacked his confident attitude as she stood before Naruto twiddling with the lilac silk lining of her black velvet cloak. Like her cousin her clothes were of the old wiccan style.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to knock you over," Naruto tried again. "You must be Neji's cousin, right?"

She blushed again and nodded.

"Well it's nice to meet you! I'm Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto extended a friendly hand.

She looked at it for a moment as though afraid it would burn if she touched him. "M-My name is H-Hyuuga H-H-Hinata," she stuttered with a slight bow. "I-It's very n-nice to meet you, N-N-Naruto-kun."

Naruto removed his hand awkwardly and mimicked her bow with less grace than she had managed. "Er, yeah you too. Anyway do you think you could help me out? I need to find the arena."

"H-Hai, f-follow me."

With that she walked past him and turned down the passage opposite to the one he had just come from. She walked quickly looking at the wall on one side of the corridor. They turned down a long passage that Naruto thought he remembered (but then again they all looked the same anyway).

"I-It's the last d-d-door down here. You s-should hurry, S-Sasuke-kun is looking impatient."

With that she left him, hurrying away quickly with her cloak flying behind her. Naruto shouted a quick "Thanks!" at her retreating back before she was gone.

"Strange girl," he muttered. But then again there was so many strange people in this coven, what was one more?

As he approached the last door of the tunnel he wondered briefly how she had known Sasuke was getting impatient. Surely she hadn't been able to she him? But then he remembered what Sakura had said when he had said the Hyuuga's sensed magick.

_"It's not that simple..."_

So apparently there was more to Neji and Hinata's powers than he had first thought. As soon as he hurried onto the platform over the arena room Sasuke's voice echoed up to him.

"You sure took you time."

"Teme," Naruto growled as he walked down to the floor. "I got lost! Seriously how the hell do any of you find your way around this maze?!"

Sasuke was standing in the middle of the room. "You will learn to trust your sixth sense in time."

"How the hell does a 'sixth sense' help me not to get lost?!"

"The same way it helped you guess that tarot card. The sixth sense, or the 'undefined sense' gives us a idea of what is right or wrong, if we are in danger, where to strike an enemy, etcetera. The sixth sense is only as strong as the person wishes it to be. It's signals are subtle so we must learn to listen to them."

"Eh? How?"

"Meditation."

"Meditation? Is that why you brought me down here?"

"Yes, it's a relief to know you're not completely stupid."

"Teme! I'm not stupid at all dammit!"

"Whatever Dobe."

Sasuke sat down where he was and gestured for Naruto to sit opposite him. Naruto ground his teeth together and sat on the other side of the circular decoration in the middle of the chamber.

"This chamber is highly charged in magick. Perhaps because of all the fights that have been held here or perhaps because of those old rituals Neji told you about," Sasuke said rolling his eyes. "Whatever the reason, it has always been a spiritually peaceful place which makes it the perfect place to get in touch with your inner self."

Naruto failed to hold back a snigger at that point.

"You think this is funny?" snapped Sasuke incredulously.

"No, I think you're funny, Mr Guru," replied Naruto with a taunting grin.

Sasuke bristled, "Come closer Naruto, I wish to show you something."

Curious, Naruto leaned closer to the Uchiha. Sasuke moved quickly, flicking Naruto hard on the forehead with an electrically charged finger. Naruto let out a cry of surprise and fell backwards rubbing the reddening spot on his forehead.

"Teme! What the hell was that for?!"

"Don't mock me," snarled Sasuke, then he took a deep calming breath. "Now, relax."

"Kind of hard to relax when-" started Naruto.

"Just do it!" growled the Uchiha.

With a huff Naruto crossed his legs again and mimicked Sasuke's peaceful expression as he closed his eyes.

"Now, breath in deeply through your nose... and out again through your mouth," as the Uchiha spoke he demonstrated the simple instructions.

Naruto cracked an eye open to look at Sasuke. The others eyes were closed as he spoke in low calming tones, his deep voice filling the chamber. Naruto took the opportunity to admire Sasuke in the light of the flickering white flames above them. Sasuke's pale skin seemed to glow in the unnatural light and his pitch black hair had taken on a bluish sheen. Suddenly a frown marred the peaceful image of the Hunter before him and Sasuke's eyes snapped open, glaring at Naruto.

"The sixth sense also allows a Hunter to know when someone is watching them, Dobe."

"Stop calling me that!" cried Naruto, his fists clenching by his sides.

"Only when you stop acting like the moron you are!" retorted Sasuke.

"I'm not a moron!" Naruto sprung to his feet.

**-0-**

Sasuke felt frustration thread through every vein in his body. This guy was impossible! Every little thing he did seemed to make Sasuke's blood boil.

"You are if you can't see the value of what I'm trying to teach you!" Sasuke was fuming as he shot to his feet. "This is not a GAME!"

As his shout echoed through the chamber the air fizzed and began to get impossibly heavy with wild magick, pressing down on, but at the same time, elevating Sasuke.

"Meditation is an important part of controlling the demonic energies! If you don't learn to control this power you will die and I will most likely be the one to kill you!"

Sasuke's voice was magnified inside the chamber as electrical currents skittered over his skin. He could feel the anger boiling up inside him, burning every nerve within his body. These powerful emotions begged to be released... no they _demanded_ to be released. He wouldn't have a choice in the matter!

Sasuke saw through sharpened vision that Naruto was backing away. Those blue eyes were wide in shock and fear.

"Y-your eyes...!" stuttered Naruto as he stumbled backwards.

'Yessss...' thought Sasuke. 'My eyes!'

His eyes burned but yet they saw every small detail. He could smell the fear radiating from Naruto. Sasuke spread his arms wide, electricity pulsing through him, wild magicks singing to his blood. He felt so... alive! It had been too long since he'd felt this kind of power!

He advanced slowly on Naruto who had fallen to the floor. He would show this idiotic boy what it meant to be powerful!

**-0-**

Then someone was standing before Sasuke, barring his path. Sasuke swung at the man planning to knock him out of the way with one powerful strike. But Neji caught his arm and the pent up lightening there disappeared.

Naruto watched as the Hyuuga pressed his palm flat to Sasuke's chest. Neji's long hair was lifted by the energy crackling through the strands and his white eyes glowed with the same light produced by the flames hanging above them.

The Uchiha cried out in pain and anger as Neji pushed him to the floor. Sasuke continued to struggle even as the electrical currents disappeared from his skin. From behind Naruto ran Hinata. As Neji restrained Sasuke, Hinata pressed her fingertips to his temples, a look of concentration on her face. Naruto stared in shock as her eyes also began to glow, but unlike Neji her hair remained flat.

After a minute or so the Uchiha stopped struggling and Naruto soon saw Sasuke's eyes return to their normal colour. Neji climbed off of the drained Uchiha with a sigh of relief and Hinata gently brushed Sasuke's hair from his eyes before standing.

Naruto quickly knelt beside the Uchiha as Neji straightened. Sasuke's eyes where blank as he stared at the fire above him. Naruto would have thought he was dead, if he hadn't been panting, the raven's skin was ashen and pale and his eyes held no life.

"What did you do to him?" Naruto asked turning to glance between the Hyuuga cousins whose eyes were still glowing.

Neji sighed as he ran a hand through his hair which still sparked angrily. "We absorbed his demonic energies."

"D-Don't worry, he'll b-be okay after he s-sleeps," explained Hinata.

"But what was wrong with him? He just changed, it was like he wasn't even himself anymore, and his eyes... they glowed red!" Naruto shivered.

Hinata looked awkward and glanced at Neji to answer. "I think you should ask him that."

"But-"

"Look, Naruto, Sasuke just needs to rest. He will explain it to you later... he will have to. For now would you mind getting him back to his room? I'd do it myself but I need to discharge my hair first; I'll give people static shocks if I touch them like this. Absorbing Sasuke's electricity always does this to me," Neji explained with a wry smile.

Naruto glanced back at Sasuke who's breathing had finally slowed.

"Yeah I'll get him back to his room," then he looked at Hinata. "Why isn't your hair all charged like Neji's?"

"I-I didn't absorb as m-much energy as N-Neji-niisan," she stuttered, looking away shyly.

"Hinata-sama only absorbed a small amount of energy from certain points within his brain whereas I had to diffuse all that electric."

Naruto nodded, "But why are your eyes still glowing?"

"They'll stop in a while, though mine will take longer than Hinata-sama's since I gained more demonic energy which needs to be neutralised. Anyway you should get him to bed, he won't be conscious for very long," said Neji, nodding at Sasuke.

Naruto nodded and approached the Uchiha. He knelt down at Sasuke's side again.

"Sasuke, can you walk?" he asked softly, touching the others hand.

He was surprised by the temperature of Sasuke's skin; he was completely frozen!

"Don't bother," said Neji. "The lights are on but nobodies home. You'll need to carry him."

Naruto took a deep breath and slipped his arms underneath Sasuke's cold body. He really hoped the Uchiha wasn't aware of his surroundings or Sasuke would undoubtedly be pissed off later.

As he reached the stone steps he heard Neji speak in a soft voice, "Mind giving me a hand with this?"

Naruto glanced back to see the Hyuuga's sitting in the same position he and Sasuke had been in. He watched as Hinata pressed one hand to the floor letting Neji put his right hand over it, then Neji put his left hand on the floor and Hinata placed hers over his. The two Hyuuga Hunters then looked each other in the eyes and channelled the electricity from Neji's hair into their hands and then into the floor.

Naruto turned away before they realised he was watching, somehow the ritual just seemed... sacred and Naruto didn't want to intrude.

Naruto found it surprisingly easy to carry Sasuke, the Uchiha wasn't very heavy at all. As he stepped into the labyrinth he took a deep breath. He wouldn't get lost this time. He walked through the maze of tunnels, slowly becoming more familiar with their twists and turns. But just when he was beginning to feel more confident he reached another junction.

"Dammit," he cursed softly.

Sasuke shifted at the noise, his head coming to rest on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto blushed as the Uchiha's breath ghosted over his neck. It would be useful to have the Uchiha awake as a guide right about now. But he didn't really want to wake Sasuke; Neji had said he needed rest and besides the Uchiha was much more pleasant when he wasn't conscious.

So Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath and tried listening to this sixth sense that he was supposed to have. Then he looked right and left. Neither felt right.

Naruto looked down at Sasuke, sleeping peacefully. 'Come on Sasuke, which way do we go?' he thought at the Uchiha. Then he looked left and right again. 'Random guess time... we go left!'

He continued down the left hand passage and repeated the process at the next junction he came too. Naruto turned a corner and had to stop himself from cheering in triumph.

"Nice sixth sense work bastard," he muttered to Sasuke who just continued to breath softly.

They entered Sasuke's room and Naruto lay him gently on the bed. Once he'd pulled off Sasuke's heavy boots he pulled the covers over the sleeping Hunter.

Naruto looked around. This was only the second time he'd been inside the Uchiha's room and the first time he'd been able to appreciate how similar it was to his. There were a few subtle differences though, for example the bookshelf near the desk which was full of heavy volumes, dull with age. Naruto crossed the room quietly and ran his fingers over the tomes. He wondered if Sasuke actually read them, they looked really boring.

Once he had explored the Uchiha's room some more he returned to Sasuke's side. He didn't know why he was still hanging around. He didn't need to be here but... he didn't want to leave. Naruto gently ran his fingers over Sasuke's pale cheek, he was still cold but he didn't look like he was dead anymore. He pulled his hand away when Sasuke turned his head towards his fingers.

'I should go, the bastard will probably be in an awful mood when he wakes up.'

Naruto started to walk away but a strangled noise from the bed halted his steps. Sasuke's head was thrown to the other side and his brow was furrowed in pain. Naruto instinctively took hold of the Uchiha's cold hand. He rubbed his thumb over the back of Sasuke's murmuring calming words to the other. After a moment Sasuke seemed to settle down.

Naruto let go all the while whispering that he wouldn't leave. Instead he moved to the love-seat at the end of Sasuke's bed shaking his head lightly as he rested his chin on his arms so that he could look over the back of the seat and watch over Sasuke. He didn't know why he was doing this. Sasuke was a powerful guy, he could take care of his own nightmares.

Perhaps it was because of what had happened tonight; he had seen a scary side of the Uchiha. When Sasuke's eyes had glowed Naruto had felt scared of him for the first time since he'd met him. But it wasn't because of the power Sasuke had displayed, no, Naruto already knew he was powerful. It was because of what he had seen in the Hunters eyes, that wild power and uncontained bloodlust.

Sasuke hadn't been in control.

* * *

**A/N:** Hmmm I hope this chapter went how I intended it to. I know there was a lot of explaination of the Hyuuga's ability but it's sort of nessacery and Naruto is a curious character

Please leave a review with your opinion, thanks for reading!


	7. Help

**A/N:** Hmm I was slow this time, ne? Anyway here's something to make up for it... ART! I always love to illustrate my stories since it makes the story more vivid in my mind and this time they all have such gorgeous outfits that I couldn't resist. So the first one I've totally finished is actually a picture of Tenten

Link: http:(SLASH)(SLASH)mcrluver25(DOT)deviantart(DOT)com/art/Hunter-Tenten-Full-Colour-97271133 (Oh kami I hate doing links on this site)

Next: Naruto!

* * *

Sasuke had the strange feeling of floating to the surface of a vast ocean as he slowly returned to consciousness. He was warm and comfortable and didn't particularly feel like waking up. His limbs were still heavy and eventually his mind presented the reason for his lack of energy. That woke him up and Sasuke sat bolt upright as vivid red eyes flashed through his mind. His head throbbed in protest and he held it in his hands running his fingers through his hair.

'What the hell happened?' he asked himself. Well actually it was pretty obvious what had happened; he had lost control. It had been a while since he'd had another relapse, he'd thought he had beaten it. Sasuke had been able to keep a firm lock on all strong emotions that might awaken his demonic urges.

There was a soft snore and Sasuke looked up, cursing himself for not sensing the intruder. At the end of his bed was Naruto. He was leaning over the back of the sofa, his blond head resting on his arms as he slept peacefully. Apparently Naruto hadn't recovered from his change in sleeping pattern yet.

Sasuke frowned slightly. This person was the reason for his relapse. Naruto was just so frustrating that he had managed to break the cage where Sasuke kept his emotions safely hidden away.

'Why is he here? Come to think of it... how did I get into bed? Please don't say he carried me... I really hope it was just Neji. But why would Naruto be here otherwise? He must have carried me... is there a dignified way to be carried? At least he didn't decide to undress me for bed.' Sasuke resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands again. This was awkward and embarrassing. 'Why did he have to stay here? Why couldn't he go and sleep in his own bed? Maybe he feels guilty for pissing me off...' Sasuke snorted softly at that idea. 'Not bloody likely, he probably just wants to grill me about what happened.'

_"Y-your eyes...!"_

Sasuke sighed softly. He would have to explain himself. It was going to be a difficult conversation. 'Maybe I'll take a shower first...'

With much more effort than it should have taken, Sasuke pulled himself out of bed cursing softly as his legs nearly gave way beneath him. He really hated feeling this weak but he always ended up like this after having a brush with the Hyuuga's.

Standing beneath the hot stream of water Sasuke had to cling to the wall just to stay standing. He cursed the Hyuuga's in the same breath as he cursed himself. He could blame Naruto all he wanted but the fact remained that it was his fault. He shouldn't have let himself get so wound up, he shouldn't have lost control.

Every time he closed his eyes his mind conjured haunting images from the past. Of burning buildings exhaling black smoke and... of burning bodies. A low satisfied chuckle rung in his ears and he saw the man responsible for the massacre. He ran his fingers along the silver chain around his neck as he saw red eyes sparking with sickening pleasure and a hint of madness. Sasuke shook his head attempting to rid himself of the images but he only succeeded in increasing the pounding in his skull.

Sasuke stumbled out of the shower and grasped the towel rail. He took a few moments to steady himself before drying off and leaving the bathroom to search for some clean clothes. He checked that Naruto was still snoring before changing into jogging bottoms and a clean t-shirt.

Then he stood over Naruto and poked him, hard. The blond grumbled as he took his time waking up. Whilst Naruto got his bearings Sasuke moved to lean against the post of his bed, not because he was as cool and collected as he appeared but because he needed something to lean on.

"Why exactly are you sleeping in my room?" asked Sasuke coldly.

Naruto reached a hand to the back of his neck and blushed at being caught, apparently he hadn't meant to fall asleep. "I was tired..." he said lamely.

"Well that much is obvious," replied Sasuke snidely.

"Teme! I didn't mean to! You could at least thank me for carrying your heavy ass back here after you went skits!" Naruto retorted, his voice already rising as he stood.

'Well that answers that question,' thought Sasuke trying not to picture Naruto carrying him.

"I'm not that heavy," he said flatly.

Naruto hesitated and Sasuke knew Naruto was agreeing with him. But even as he thought he'd won Naruto opened his mouth again. "Well actually that's true, what with that little girly figure of yours you were easy to carry since I'm so strong."

Sasuke spluttered and glared at him. "Since you're so strong perhaps you'd like to prove it some time?" he challenged.

"Hell yeah I would! Anytime, anywhere teme! I'll fight you right now dammit!" he put a fist up to demonstrate how ready he was.

"Bring it on!" Sasuke replied, pushing away from the bedpost without thinking.

It happened in a split second. As Sasuke pushed away from his support his head began to spin, a rushing sound filled his ears and his knees gave way.

Naruto stared in surprise as Sasuke's knees made contact with the hard stone. Sasuke managed to stop his face from hitting the floor with his arms. Naruto immediately dropped to his knees and put a hand on the Uchiha's back. Sasuke's arms shook as he shrugged Naruto's hand away and rolled over to lean against the bed. He was panting and his eyes were almost closed.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, fearing to touch the Uchiha again in case he was pushed away or worse, electrocuted.

Sasuke just looked away. Naruto could tell he didn't like to look weak and he had certainly been hiding it well a minute ago. Naruto, after seeing the strong and snappy Sasuke standing there looking so at ease, had completely forgotten about Neji saying he needed to rest. As soon as Sasuke had started insulting him he had assumed the Uchiha was okay.

'A damn good actor is what he is,' thought Naruto angrily.

"You need to stay in bed," said Naruto reaching to help Sasuke up. "Neji said you needed to rest."

Sasuke slapped Naruto's hands away as he glared in the opposite direction, "I'm fine," he hissed angrily.

"No you're not! You can barely stand!" protested Naruto.

Sasuke didn't reply. Instead he wrapped his hands firmly around the bedpost and started pulling himself up, his arms shaking from the effort. Naruto flitted around the stubborn Uchiha, ready to catch him should he fall. This seemed to annoy Sasuke hugely as the raven haired man seemed determined to prove how capable he was.

"Stop worrying like some bloody woman," grumbled Sasuke as he climbed into bed and leaned against the headboard.

"Teme! Why would I worry about your prissy ass?!" Naruto scowled in denial.

"Hn, whatever. You can leave now."

Naruto growled as Sasuke's dismissive tone. "I'm not leaving; you owe me a damn explanation!"

Sasuke didn't reply, he seemed to be battling with the urge to refuse. "I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Yeah you do! Neji said you'd have to!"

Sasuke frowned, looking away he muttered something that sounded like, "Damn Hyuuga." Then he sighed and turned to Naruto. "You may as well take a seat," he said, motioning towards his desk chair.

Naruto straddled the chair and waited for Sasuke to explain. The Uchiha took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"You remember I told you that the choice between demon and Hunter wasn't an easy one?" Naruto nodded. "Well I believe you got a first hand experience of just how hard it is," Sasuke said bitterly. "As I said before the magick in my blood is strong. I can usually control it but when I got angry at you I lost that control."

"You're blaming me?" asked Naruto incredulously.

Sasuke sighed heavily and lifted a hand to rub at his temple, "No, I'm not blaming you. It's just... I haven't a relapse for a while now so I guess... I thought it was sorted."

Naruto watched Sasuke carefully as the man spoke. He sounded regretful and the way he refused to look at Naruto showed he felt shame even if he wouldn't admit to it, but most of all there was a deep set anger... at himself.

"I suppose it's good for you to hear this since you're likely going to be in the same position soon."

Naruto looked away, that was not a pleasant thought. Sasuke had been really scary, Naruto was pretty sure if Neji and Hinata hadn't turned up when they did Sasuke would have had a good go at killing him.

Sasuke looked up find Naruto staring at the ground. The apprehension was obvious in the boys face.

"Were you scared?" asked Sasuke softly.

Naruto looked up at him in surprise and Sasuke forced himself to hold eye contact.

"Yeah, I was," said Naruto slowly. "You looked like you were going to kill me."

"I probably would have," agreed Sasuke.

He hated feeling this way, knowing what he would have done and feeling guilty for it. He was thankful Neji had turned up in time. Sasuke knew only too well what he was capable of; during the darkest period of his life he had cost several people their lives.

There was a long silence as Sasuke dwelled in memories.

"What does it feel like?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"What?" asked Sasuke startled, he had almost forgotten Naruto was still here.

"What does it feel like to be a demon?"

"I'm not a demon!" snapped Sasuke immediately. "Demons are people who sink so far into their powers that they can't return! I have _never_ sunk that low!"

"No, no I didn't mean that. It's just... what did it feel like to lose control."

"Oh..." Sasuke paused, he wasn't sure if he could trust himself to talk about it. "It's... scary. Well, it's not scary at the time but afterwards it is... When I waver on that line between Hunter and demon I feel... elated. It's hard to explain really, but it's addictive. When I have that much power coursing through me I feel free. Because I have to constantly keep my power under control I'm always fighting it, so it's a relief to let it go."

"You feel free..." Naruto repeated slowly.

Sasuke nodded, "But it's different for everyone so it'll probably be different for you." He hesitated again, unsure of revealing so much to Naruto. "It may be that I associate power with freedom because I'm trapped here."

"Trapped? But you can leave whenever you like! You're always off to the surface to hunt," Naruto looked down, "I'm the one who's trapped," he muttered so low Sasuke wouldn't have heard it if he didn't have the hearing of a Hunter.

"I'm allowed to go hunting only because they know I wouldn't stay like this if I couldn't. If they didn't allow me that small piece of freedom I would most likely lose control and try to fight my way out of here." Naruto's eyes widened at that. "Even when I hunt, the Hyuuga's keep an eye on my magick levels," Sasuke said bitterly.

"Will I be forced to stay here forever too? You said most Hunters live on the surface."

"If you prove to be better at control than me then you may be permitted to live amongst normal people."

Naruto looked down at his hands clasped on the back of the chair. He seemed deep in thought but after a moment he looked up at Sasuke with a determined gaze.

"I'll do it."

Sasuke just stared at him. How could he be so sure? 'Because he hasn't experienced his powers yet, that's how,' he answered himself. But even as he doubted Naruto a small part of Sasuke sparked with hope. He wanted to believe it was possible to control this power. The unflinching confidence in Naruto's eyes was eroding his scepticism.

Sasuke had encouraged Naruto by telling the other that he could fight it. Didn't that make him a huge hypocrit when he didn't really believe that he, himself, could fight it and win? It either made him a hypocrit or a fool for placing his hopes on this boy. Why would Naruto be able to fight it when Sasuke couldn't? Naruto was surely going to fail.

"How can you be so confident?" Sasuke asked, ashamed of the slight tremble in his voice.

Naruto's eyes widened for a moment before he smiled. "Because you said I could do it."

Sasuke stared at him. 'Because I said he could? That's ridiculous!' But even as he threw away Naruto's words Sasuke couldn't help but feel a little bit flattered.

"I only said you could fight," Sasuke reminded him.

Naruto shook his head, "I don't care. I know I can beat it because I'm going to beat you!" Naruto declared standing up and pointing at Sasuke.

Sasuke just stared. What could he say to that? Naruto had just pointed out his weakness. Suddenly Sasuke felt so stupid. 'What have I been doing all these years? Barely hanging onto myself, caught between becoming a real Hunter and slipping into my demonic self? And then this guy comes along!'

Although Sasuke was almost certain that Naruto would be another borderline case, just like him, he hoped Naruto would be different.

"You think you can beat me?"

"Duh! I'm going to beat you _and_ these stupid demon magicks and then I'm going to live up there," Naruto pointed at the ceiling, "With all those normal people and I'm going to kick demon butt _every_ night!"

Sasuke felt the corners of his mouth twitch and resisted the urge to smile. This guy sure was animated, it made him annoying but also likeable and interesting. Sasuke looked into those blue eyes, glinting with determination, and made a decision.

"Come here Naruto."

Naruto cocked his head to the side and walked over. But as soon as Sasuke reached out his hand Naruto jumped back. "No way am I falling for that one again!" he said triumphantly, one hand coming up to rub at his forehead.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Baka, I'm not going to shock you." Sasuke couldn't actually use his powers at the moment but he wasn't going to tell Naruto that, he had already shown too much weakness for tonight.

Naruto looked sceptical but stepped forward anyway. Sasuke held out his hand again and this time Naruto took it.

"I'll help you beat it," promised Sasuke his expression deadly serious.

Naruto grinned and shook the Hunters hand. "Heh, I didn't know you could be so nice, teme," said Naruto, pulling away with a slightly wary look on his face.

"Hn. I have my own reasons for doing this, Dobe." 'I have to believe it's possible to beat this!'

* * *

**A/N: **Tell me what you thought, ne? It's their own little compromise ;D

-Yasu


	8. Family Issues

**A/N:** Heh it's been a while, ne? Gomen-nasai, I've had a lot on my plate.

* * *

Naruto turned over again in his new bed, it wasn't that he wasn't comfortable, his four-poster was definitely comfortable, he just wasn't tired after his earlier nap in Sasuke's room. Sighing, Naruto sat up. Glancing around his new room he shook his head, a small smile on his face. He could no longer kid himself; this was all real. He didn't have to steal food out of the rubbish anymore, or endure the countless attempts of drunks to pick a fight. This place was surely better than anywhere he had lived his entire life... except perhaps the place he had been born.

Naruto had very few memories of those precious few years when he had been part of a family. He had lived with his father in one of the nicer suburbs of Konoha. Naruto closed his eyes, trying to make out the face of his father, it was fuzzy but the resemblance to himself was obvious. Their house had been warm and comfortable, Naruto remembered staring at the picture of his mother on the mantle for hours on end. She had died giving birth to him but his father had made sure to keep plenty of photos of her around the house. Naruto had always thought she looked like one of those mothers that everyone loves, with long bright red hair and dark blue eyes... but perhaps that had only been his imagination trying to conjure up an image he could treasure.

Then one night when Naruto had been 4 years old he had woken up in the middle of the night to find his father gone. He had curled up in his fathers bed to wait for him but in the morning an old man had arrived. He had introduced himself as 'Uncle Jiraiya' and told Naruto he would be living with him from now on in his downtown flat. Jiraiya had been good to him, even if he was a total pervert who always spied on women. Naruto smiled at the memories of a younger him telling his Uncle off. Jiraiya had never been a very good parental unit, there was always strange people turning up demanding money and they had to move several times but at least he'd had a roof over his head.

Until it had happened again, Jiraiya had gone missing in the middle of the night just like his father and this time no one had come to tell Naruto what had happened. So Naruto had tried to keep the flat, whilst working at a local bar. But his pay was bad, his education lacking and after he'd lost his pitiful job there really was nowhere else for him.

Naruto looked around his room again, fingering the covers of his bed, and smiled; he'd been given another chance. He was living in the most interesting place he'd been so far with some dangerous, crazy but essentially nice people. All he had to do was learn to control the magick inside of him and he would be able to live the exciting life of a Hunter. It certainly beat working in some dodgy bar where you had to pretend you didn't see any of the illegal stuff going on.

It's not everyone who gets to observe people levitate objects, lift things three times their weight and throw lightening at will. It was all so crazy! A part of Naruto knew he wouldn't believe he really belonged here until he started doing weird stuff too but he was beginning to trust the Hyuuga's judgement a little more now. Perhaps it was because Sasuke seemed to wholeheartedly believe that Naruto was going to have to face that ominous decision and Naruto found himself more inclined to trust the Uchiha's judgement.

Naruto sighed; maybe if this 'sixth sense' made itself known he'd be prepared to believe that he had blood magick. Sasuke had said that he could learn to listen to it through meditation.

"No time like the present," muttered Naruto.

He climbed out of bed and settled himself in the middle of his bedroom floor on the thick old rug. It would probably be more effective to do this in the arena but Naruto didn't fancy getting lost in the tunnels during the day, when no one was awake to show him the way. Remembering Sasuke's instructions he began to slow his breathing. He could almost hear Sasuke's voice...

_"Clear you mind... Do not think... Concentrate only on my voice... And then on letting my voice drift from your consciousness leaving only the sounds of you own body..._

"No!"

Naruto frowned. Sasuke's voice had changed; it was no longer in his mind... it felt far away but yet it sounded close.

"No! Aniki please, don't do this! Come back to me!"

Naruto's eyes snapped open. He wasn't imagining it! He could hear Sasuke's voice, panicked and trembling. Naruto looked at his right hand wall; the cries were coming from this direction. Sasuke's words were no longer distinguishable now that Naruto had broken out of his trance. He knew the Uchiha's room was in that direction, down the hall... but there must be nearly 10 metres of solid wall before you even reached the bathroom, he couldn't possibly be hearing Sasuke through that?!

Sasuke suddenly cried out in pain, 'What the hell am I doing?!' thought Naruto frantically. 'I should be helping him!'

He dashed out of the door, ran down the hallway and burst into Sasuke's room in a matter of seconds. Naruto scanned the room quickly for the distressed Sasuke, but the man was lying in bed. He felt an enormous relief hit him as he realised Sasuke was just having a nightmare. It was a violent one though; Sasuke was tossing and turning, muttering to himself and his covers had been thrown to the floor.

"Stop it...! Mpmh... nooo!" Sasuke's cries didn't seem as loud now that Naruto was here with him, when he'd heard him through the wall Naruto had thought Sasuke must have been screaming as though his life depended on it, but he wasn't.

Naruto walked cautiously over to Sasuke's bed. What should he do? Sasuke wouldn't like to be seen like this, that was for sure... But Naruto couldn't just leave him. He bit his lip in decision as Sasuke turned over again, his face screwed up in pain.

Slowly he reached out a hand and gripped Sasuke's shoulder, giving him a good shake.

Sasuke woke up immediately. Naruto jumped back in surprise as he bolted upright, eyes wide and his hand swiftly revealing a tantou (1) from under his pillow.

"Woah, chill out man!" said Naruto, holding his hands up in a gesture that showed he was unarmed. He eyed the tantou that was already halfway out of it's sheath. Sasuke glared at him as he put it away again with a decisive click.

"Why are you in my room again, dobe?" he asked, sounding utterly exasperated.

Naruto felt an annoyed growl rumble in his throat. "Jeez teme! I came in here because I thought you were being bloody attacked! I mean how the hell am I supposed to sleep when you're in here screaming?!"

Sasuke visibly stiffened. "What did you hear?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"Erm... well... you were doing a lot of shouting, calling out for someone to stop... you called out to your... brother," Naruto shifted awkwardly.

Sasuke inhaled and exhaled slowly. "I don't understand how the hell you heard that," he began, an angry edge to his voice. "I mean what were you doing, meditating or something?"

"Well... yeah," said Naruto lamely.

Sasuke looked at him with something close to shock. "Wow great time for you to start listening to what I say," he said sarcastically.

"Whatever you paranoiac bastard." Sasuke scowled at the comment turning the sheathed tantou over in his fingers. "I thought it was going pretty well actually. That sixth sense will come in handy if you ever actually need to me to rush to your aid."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "_You_ will never get the chance to play the hero since it will most likely be me who has to save your ass. And anyway it wasn't the sixth sense that alerted you to my apparent 'danger' since the sixth sense would know I was not actually in danger, therefore you still failed at tuning in to it's subtle signals and only succeeded in using your advanced hearing."

"Eeeeh? B-but there is no way I could have heard through that wall!" spluttered Naruto waving wildly in the direction of Sasuke's en suite.

"_You_ couldn't, but a Hunter could if he listened hard enough."

Naruto gaped a little and Sasuke smirked. "Not still doubting you own ability are you?"

Naruto scowled, crossing his arms and looking away, "Not anymore I'm not," he muttered under his breath.

Sasuke smirked again, "You should also know that I can hear you perfectly when you speak like that."

"Whatever bastard, you're avoiding the fact that you obviously have family issues!"

The change in the smirking Uchiha was instantaneous. Sasuke's face turned to one of such raw fury that Naruto immediately regretted his words. Sasuke flung himself off of the bed and begun stalking towards Naruto who started backing away. When he felt his back hit the wall the blond's eyes flicked to the door. The Uchiha was emitting such an menacing aura that Naruto was seriously surprised that he hadn't been hit by lightening yet.

"Family issues?" hissed Sasuke, his demeanour reminiscent of an angry snake. "Oh Naruto you have no idea," he said in that dangerously soft voice, sounding out every syllable.

Naruto frowned; Sasuke was admitting that Naruto had been right? "Tell me then," he said defiantly.

Sasuke let out a low growl and closed the distance between Naruto's neck and his hand effectively pinning Naruto in a stranglehold not two metres from where he had first experienced the Uchiha's physical strength.

But this time Naruto expected it. One hand wrapped around Sasuke's wrist whilst the other balled into a fist and flew straight at Sasuke's unguarded stomach. Naruto heard Sasuke's breath leave him in a rush but had no time to think as the Uchiha's other fist made contact with his jaw. Naruto groaned and fell to his knees only to feel a well aimed kick connect with his side. Sasuke was on him in an instant, straddling him and pinning Naruto to the floor, preparing to land another hit to his face.

Naruto caught his fist just in time, gripping Sasuke's other wrist as it aimed for his stomach. "Dammit Sasuke, your family can't be that bad!" he gritted out, flicking his tongue over the split in his lip.

Sasuke glared at him, panting more from pent up anger than physical exertion. "They're dead," he bit out snatching his wrists away from Naruto and sitting back a little.

Clear blue eyes widened in understanding, "Then... your brother..."

"Dead," Sasuke pushed away from Naruto and moved to sit leaning against the wall, "At my hand," he finished bitterly.

Naruto leant up on his elbows to stare at Sasuke; surely he hadn't heard right? Did Sasuke just admit to murdering his brother?

Sasuke caught him staring and glared as if to say: don't you dare look at me like that!

As Sasuke looked down at his clenched fists Naruto watched his face for any sign that he hadn't meant it. His usually carefully controlled features had taken on an odd expression and Naruto suspected he was lost in memories. He had a feeling Sasuke wouldn't tell him anything until he was good and ready so Naruto made himself comfortable leaning against the wall beside Sasuke.

They sat in silence for a long time, neither looking at the other. Sasuke was absorbed in the past but Naruto was itching to ask about his brother.

"I didn't want to kill him."

Naruto started in surprise; he hadn't really expected Sasuke to break the silence.

"So he was a real brother to you, huh?"

Sasuke 'hmm'ed in agreement and when Naruto looked his way he found the Uchiha resting his head on the wall, his eyes unfocused.

"Then why...?"

Sasuke was close to telling Naruto it wasn't any of his business but something stopped him. He knew if he refused to tell Naruto then the boy could ask anyone in the coven and Sasuke knew Neji would be all too happy to share the story of the Uchiha family's downfall. Sasuke didn't want Naruto to hear Neji's version which would surely portray his brother as the hideous bloodthirsty demon that he never was.

"He changed."

Sasuke sighed deeply, it was not something he liked to think about. Itachi had been the one person whom he had really loved and admired. His brother had been one of the strongest Hunters in the Uchiha family and had astounded everyone with his flawless control.

"He met a demon in battle, I think it was the first time anyone had ever bested Itachi. The demon's name was Madara, he had a way of bringing out the worst in people. I had to watch as Itachi's defeat began to eat at him, it shouldn't have done, he would never have let anyone get to him like that. I don't know what exactly that demon's power was but it got Itachi bad. He became obsessed with gaining the power to beat Madara and he eventually lost control. The entire Uchiha family was wiped out during that night."

"But you managed to beat him?" asked Naruto.

Sasuke turned to him to see blue eyes sparkling with admiration. "I was no match for Itachi," he said coldly.

"But... then how-"

"When he fought me he didn't use his full strength," he explained softly, his fingers automatically tracing the outline of the pendant under his shirt. "I think the real Itachi was trying to gain some control over himself."

Sasuke refused to look away from Naruto. In those blue orbs swirled a million different emotions, each laid out for him to observe; understanding, admiration and perhaps even gratitude towards Sasuke for telling his secret. He was surprised to find no pity in Naruto's gaze and he was thankful; they all pitied him and, to a certain extent, feared him. Everyone knew the basics of his story; they had found out via the members of the last remaining Hunter family: the Hyuuga's. Sasuke found that he had to use all his self control not to look away from Naruto, he didn't want to appear weak or ashamed, because he wasn't, but it was hard to keep eye contact with Naruto; it did funny things to his insides.

Eventually Naruto broke their staring contest frowning slightly, "So your whole family had magick inside them?"

"Yeah, the Uchiha clan was the strongest Hunter family in Konoha," said Sasuke proudly. "Why?"

Naruto looked thoughtful, "So does that mean my parents were Hunters too?"

"Not necessarily. Magick used to reside only within strict family boundaries resulting in strong clans of Hunters or demons but they slowly began to diminish, constantly killing each other probably didn't help. So the old families split up, marrying normal people and concealing their powers from their spouses, meaning their children may or may not possess blood magick. With the downfall of such families as the Namikaze clan and most recently the Uchiha clan there is only one old family left."

"Who's that?"

"The Hyuuga's."

"Wait a minute... did you say Namikaze?" Naruto said suddenly turning to Sasuke, understanding dawning all over his face.

"Yeah, why?"

"It can't be... otou-san..." he said slowly, staring into the distance.

"Your father?"

"Mmmm... I think his last name was Namikaze."

"What?!" Sasuke sat up a little straighter. "But you said your name was Uzumaki."

"Yeah, but that was my mother's name. Dad called me after her in memory of her death..."

Sasuke suddenly sprang to his feet, "Follow me."

"What?" Naruto watched as Sasuke threw his coat on and walked briskly out of the door. "Hey, teme! Wait up!"

Sasuke sped through the labyrinth with Naruto hot on his heals. The Uchiha refused to say where they were going no matter how many times Naruto asked him. Naruto thought he recognised where they were going by the faint feeling of déjà vu but that might have been his imagination.

When Sasuke stopped abruptly outside a seemingly random door Naruto nearly crashed into him. Sasuke scowled and put his finger to his lips urging Naruto to be quiet. Naruto watched with amusement as Sasuke pulled several lock picks from a hidden pocket in the sleeve of his coat.

"Hehe prepared for everything aren't you?" muttered Naruto.

Sasuke replied with a glare and a swift gesture to 'shut the hell up'. Then he pushed the door open and sidled into a room full of the flickering light of pale flames. Naruto recognised the place immediately, it was Tsunade's office. There were doors leading out on either side of the room. Sasuke gave the right hand one a wary look before heading left. Naruto followed him into a dark lounge area as silently as he could; it was quite obvious they weren't allowed in here.

As Sasuke closed the door trying not to let it click, Naruto looked around. None of the braziers were lit but the light filtering under the door was enough. The room looked as though it was used for meetings with two sofas positioned either side of a low table. Sasuke walked around him to the far wall and beckoned him over. The wall was adorned with a long line of portraits and photos going from old to new.

Sasuke pointed at one of the more recent photos, "Is this your father?"

Naruto looked at it, once again failing to notice how he didn't need light to see every detail of the mans face. The man looked just like an older version of Naruto, with slightly longer hair and more slanted eyes. His eyes were of the same bright blue as Naruto's and his skin was tanned though it lacked the distinctive whisker scars. The name plaque below the picture read: Namikaze Minato.

"I don't fucking believe it," said Naruto, scanning every detail of the image that was so like his own. "He was a Hunter!" he exclaimed.

"Shhh keep your voice down! Yes he was a Hunter-"

"And coven leader for a short while too."

Both of them jumped and spun quickly. In the doorway stood Tsunade with her hands on her hips and a stern expression on her face.

But Naruto didn't seem to register her annoyance, "He was coven leader?! But what do you mean 'for a short while'?"

"You should remember the night when he didn't come home," she said tiredly, taking a seat on the sofa facing them.

"He died."

"He was killed by a demon," she corrected. "And then, at Minato's request, my old friend, Jiraiya, took you in."

"You knew about all this, all the time I was with Jiraiya oji-san you knew I had magick in me?!" Naruto burst out.

"No. When you walked in here I didn't know who you were, though you bear a striking resemblance to your father I couldn't be certain. Sit," she ordered, directing him to the opposite sofa. "Minato gave you your mother's name to prevent demons tracking you down by his name. There was no way of knowing whether you had inherited his blood magick until it began to manifest and, as you know, neither of your guardians lived long enough to see that happen. Jiraiya never told me anything about you: your name, what you looked like, nothing. I believe that was also Minato's wish."

"Why? Why did he want to hide me from everyone?" asked Naruto.

"It's not that he wanted to hide _you_ but that he wanted to hide _this world_ from you. You would certainly have had a more peaceful life away from the coven; our world is not an easy one to survive in."

Naruto nodded slowly, he thought he understood though he would still need time to get used to the idea of being the last Namikaze Hunter.

"So you knew my father?" he asked Tsunade eagerly.

She sighed wearily, "Yes and I absolutely refuse to tell you about him at this time of the day. It's nearly the evening and I don't know what the hell you two are doing up but I'm tired so you had better get your asses back to bed this instance or I'll do something that would make your father very unhappy!"

"But-" began Naruto before Sasuke grabbed the collar of his t-shirt and dragged him out of the door.

"Are you going to start calling yourself Namikaze now?" asked Sasuke quietly as they walked back through the tunnels.

"Nah, I think I'm more of an Uzumaki," proclaimed Naruto, slapping a hand to his chest proudly.

As they rounded another corner Naruto thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye that made his step falter. For a second there he thought he had seen a genuine smile pull at the corners of Sasuke's mouth but then it was gone. 'I probably imagined it.'

* * *

**A/N:** Let me know what you think, I'll try not to take as long to update this time.

Ja ne

-Yasu


	9. In Preparation

**A/N: **Oops, I said I wouldn't take too long didn't I? My bad, next one will be up as soon as I get all my english essays finished. -_-; Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

He was breathing in... and he was breathing out. He was trying to locate this sixth sense but it just wasn't happening! Naruto let out a frustrated puff of air. He couldn't hear any little voice in the back of his mind all he could hear was a loud voice in the forefront of his mind telling him that the bastard Uchiha was having him on.

"Do you really find it that hard to listen to yourself?"

Naruto's eyes snapped open to find Sasuke watching him. They were sitting opposite each other in the arena. Naruto was supposed to be tuning into his sixth sense but they had been meditating for hours and all he could think of was how his left butt cheek had fallen asleep.

Naruto let out a low growl and jumped up, trying to shake some life into his ass.

Sasuke watched him jiggle around, "What the hell are you doing?"

"My ass cheek has gone to sleep!"

Sasuke looked away with a muttered, "Oh..."

"Look, Sas, this meditation stuff just ain't working, isn't there some other way?"

"No. And don't call me that."

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure!"

"But-"

"No!"

Naruto scowled at the bastard, throwing himself back down on the ground, "I probably only have five senses."

"You have a sixth, just like us. You've already been using it."

"I have?"

"Yeah, you didn't get lost on your way here, did you?"

"Yeah, but I think that's just luck. I mean everytime I get to a point where I'm not sure I just take a guess."

"Exactly!"

Naruto gave him a sceptical look, "You make no sense."

"It makes perfect sense, dobe! I told you before that the sixth sense is sometimes referred to as the undefined sense and this is exactly why. You may put it down to luck but the sixth sense is what makes you guess correctly. Some people without magick can possess the sixth sense to a certain degree but it will only ever be something like someone who can actually use methods of divination to learn things about people or a Policeman who is unusually acurate with his firearm-"

"That's not some sixth sense that's just being a good shot!"

"How about when people know someone's following them?"

"The person's obviously not very stealthy!"

"And when you turn around and look at the exact spot they were?"

"Then you heard them!"

"A human's hearing it not that accurate. Just stop questioning me for a moment and believe me when I say that all of that is just part of the sixth sense. It's not some little voice in the back of your head, it's instinct, chance and luck!"

"Huh... so I'm already using my sixth sense?"

**-0-**

"Yes!" exclaimed Sasuke, glad Naruto was finally seeing things his way.

"So that means... there's no point in all this meditation crap-"

"The point of the meditation is for you to learn how to put your mind in a state where the signals come through loud and clear for when you're fighting."

"But you said I was already hearing the signals so you can just teach me to fight with a sword already!"

"Wait, what?" he stared at the blond who nodded eagerly before Sasuke let his gaze fall to his sword which lay in it's sheath by his side. "I never said I'd teach you sword fighting."

"Then how am I supposed to kill demons?"

"You're not going to be killing demons for a long time."

"What?! Why?!" cried Naruto impatiently.

"There's a lot to do before you can officially join the Hunt. First we've got to wait for your power to emerge, then you'll need to learn to control it and then how to use it. Only after that will you be able to start fighting with it and then you'll need extensive weapons training. And you'll only be permitted to fight alongside a hunt member after your initiation. It's not something that can be acomplished overnight."

Naruto looked totally appalled and Sasuke had to admit he felt a little sorry for him. At least he hadn't been stuck underground during his training process; he had been trained at their family estate just outside the city, by his brother and father. But after the massacre it had been decided that Sasuke would not be allowed to stay there for his own safety and due to his unstable condition. Sasuke expected that by now the Uchiha estate was either the home of bums or populated by demons.

"When will I be able to go to the surface again?"

"It depend's how quickly you pick up basic fighting, since your magick has surfaced you can guarantee demons and parasites will be drawn to you just like that vampire was."

"I'm a fast learner."

"I'm sure you are, but you definitly won't be allowed to visit the surface until you gain a firm control over your own power."

"How will I do that?"

"Meditation-"

"Not more!" burst Naruto.

"-will help," finished Sasuke. "But it will be mostly a test of willpower."

"Willpower... I can do that!"

Sasuke nodded, he had no doubt that Naruto could. Naruto had been underground for nearly a week now and he was getting on fairly well. He hadn't gotten lost in the last few days and had taken Sasuke's lesson's with as much patience as he could muster.

Sasuke glanced at his watch, it was nearly 1 O'clock. "Let's go for lunch."

Naruto gave him a shocked look, "You're actually initiating a break in your grueling regime of meditation and push-ups?"

Sasuke gave him a scathing glare and hit him over the head with the sheath of his sword as he passed, "I can hear your stomach rumbling, dobe."

It was true that Sasuke had been working him hard. Though the excercises were actually an attempt to wear the energetic boy out enough that he would concentrate on meditation they had, for the most part, failed. Naruto seemed to have an endless supply of energy and Sasuke found him almost as annoying as Lee, though at least Naruto didn't feel the need to set himself constant challenges of strength!

As soon as they entered the kitchen area Naruto headed for the cupboards where Hinata had put away his requested ramen. Sasuke shook his head slightly, Naruto had looked like he was going to melt when the shy girl had asked if he wanted any particular food.

"Sasuke-kun, do you want donburi?(1)" called Sakura from the kitchen.

"Please," he replied as Naruto brought his ramen over to sit next to Sasuke.

"You actually say 'please'?"

"It's polite," Sasuke said snidely.

"Yeah, but you're not."

"I'd be polite to you if you offered to cook me lunch."

"Ha! You wish!"

"No I don't, since I'd probably end up with that crap," said Sasuke, turning his nose up at Naruto's cup ramen.

Naruto gasped, clutching his ramen to his chest protectively, "It's not crap!" he said sounding scandalised.

"Hn, it's also not nutritious. Thanks, Sakura," he added as a bowl was placed in front of him.

"Ha, whatever! I don't need nutrients since, as you can tell, I'm a strong, well developed young man!" Naruto replied looking very pleased with himself.

Sasuke choked a bit on his rice as Naruto puffed out his chest. He wanted to come back with a clever insult that would prove the idiot wrong but a voice in his head was agreeing that Naruto definitly looked perfectly healthy. Naruto had demonstrated his physical fitness every time Sasuke attempted to tire him out and several of those excercise periods had involved Naruto getting too hot and removing his shirt; not only was he physically fit but he had nothing to be ashamed of. Sasuke concentrated hard on his food trying to think of something to say. But he was saved the trouble as a loud shout echoed from the doorway.

"PAAAAARTAY!"

Naruto started coughing as he had nearly inhaled his noodles. Lee was immediatly at his side giving him a hard pat on the back and saving Sasuke from watching Naruto's 'death by noodles'.

**-0-**

When Naruto emerged from his coughing fit he saw the source of the boistrous voice. A young man with messy brown hair and red, triangle tattoo's on his cheeks was standing in the doorway as Hinata hurried over.

"K-Kiba-kun! You're very early, the p-party's not until later."

"I know that, I'm just here to help set up. So when does the birthday boy get here?"

"As if you don't know, you're just here to harrass Hinata whilst Neji's not around to threaten you with castration!" scolded Ino.

"Ah young love!" cheered Lee.

"Ino-chan!" cried Hinata.

"Shut it, bitch!" growled Kiba.

"Bite me, werewolf!" Ino shouted in return.

Kiba gave a shout that sounded more like the roar of an animal than anything and charged at her. All around the room people jumped to their feet, except Sasuke who was still eating his donburi. But before anyone could move towards the pair a pink-headed blur had fixed herself firmly between the two.

Sakura had her hand at Kiba's throat, "You won't touch her," she said, the threat evident in her voice.

Hinata had moved to Kiba's side. She lay a gently hand on his and pulled him away as Sakura let go. As Hinata led Kiba over to the dining table Sakura turned to her girlfriend.

"That was uncalled for," she said, her voice softening at the sight of the other.

"Whatever," muttered Ino, pushing past her girlfriend and storming from the room.

Sakura gave a heavy sigh before running after her.

"Will they be okay?" asked Naruto as Hinata and Kiba joined them.

"They will be fine, they are always fighting like this," said Lee, returning to his seat.

"But m-more frequently recently," Hinata bit her lip.

"They will be fine," repeated Lee. "They will sort it out, you will see!" he gave a broad grin and a thumbs up that made Sasuke roll his eyes.

"So Neji's out, huh?" asked Kiba, casually.

"Shikamaru said that he would k-keep him b-busy."

Kiba's face split into a lechurous grin, "Oh I bet he will."

Hinata blushed and quickly changed the subject, "Where's Shino-kun?"

"Ah, he's not coming. He said to apoligise but he got roped into the early shift. He's a bit pissed really since we were out hunting earlier and now he's got to spend the early hours patrolling some sleepy warehouse with those dum guard dogs. They really are stupid, I mean the security company paid an arm and a leg for these trained guard dogs and they're not half as smart as Akamaru!"

"Akamaru?" asked Naruto.

"Yeah my dog. He's the best, he was only a stray but he's really clever, I mean he must be since he found me and immediatly knew I'm the best pet owner there ever was. Only he doesn't like it underground so I had to leave him at the apartment."

"You live in the city?"

"Sure do. Me and Shino rent a place down by the docks. But anyway you must be Naruto, Hinata mentioned you last night when we were hunting." He extended a friendly hand and Naruto shook it.

"So... you're a werewolf?" he asked curiously.

"No goddamnit I'm not!" shouted Kiba jumping to his feet.

"But Ino..."

"Ino is wrong!" Hinata spoke up in a firm voice that sounded odd coming from her, a second later she blushed and look down at her hands.

Kiba sat back down looking at her fondly. "I was bitten by one though, a werewolf," he said turning to Naruto. "I was only ten when it happened. My big sis was supposed to be looking after me but she was on the phone and I heard something in the backgarden and went to investigate. My ma had a look at the bite when she got home and she looked completely alarmed when I said I got bitten by a wolf-man. She told me it was probably just a dog but afterwards we kept having strange people call around and they all wanted to have a look at me. It was a bit scary to be honest, they always asked me if I felt any different during the full moon or wanted to see my teeth. I kept expecting to change into some monster like I'd seen him do but it didn't happen.

"Then when I was thirteen my powers started to appear. Only then did we realise that the bite hadn't been completely ineffective and my mum was forced to come clean about being a Hunter. I'm not a werewolf but I can transform almost completely into one, with all the benefits of heat sensing vision, extra balance, speed and strength. What sets me apart from those parasites is that I don't feel the need to tranform every moon and kill as many people as I can, I have no such blood lust."

"Wow, that's pretty cool," said Naruto honestly.

"It's cool but I challenge you to find a werewolf that's 'pretty'. At the end of the day I'm a half-bred and some people just won't except that," Kiba gave a heavy sigh.

"Like Ino?"

"And m-my cousin," added Hinata.

"Neji _really_ doesn't like you, eh?"

"Nope," Kiba's face suddenly split into a grin. "But since when have I let that stop me, eh Hina-chan?" Hinata blushed profusly as he hooked an arm around her waist. "Anyway I'm here to help set up for that asshole's party, not everyday you turn 20 and I'd just love to see him get pissed!(2) So what can I do to help?"

"There is not much left to do actually," said Lee brightly. "Hinata just finished the cake and I am going to decorate the lounge in five minutes!"

"Well I can help with that then."

"No, it is my personal challenge to hang all the streamers and the banners that Sai made in five minutes flat! If I cannot do this I swear I will run a circuit from downtown, to the suburbs and then back via the docks!" Lee declared, standing on his chair and putting one foot on the table in a determined stance.

Naruto turned to Sasuke to ask if he was serious but the Uchiha answered before he could speak, "He will do it," Sasuke said looking completely exapperated.

"That's a long way," muttered Naruto; a triangular circuit like that would cover over half of the city, and Konoha wasn't small!

"Good luck with that mate," said Kiba with a wolfish grin. "So... if we aren't needed here fancy a trip to the surface?" he asked Hinata.

"O-okay, give me a minute to get ready."

"Meet you in the lounge, I want to see Lee's decorating record attempt."

Hinata left and when Kiba got up Naruto decided to follow him.

"We should get back to training, I have an idea that might help you concentrate," said Sasuke, effectively stopping his escape.

"But I want to watch Lee!" moaned Naruto.

"Training is more important!"

"He said it'd only take five minutes," he protested. Then Naruto had an idea, "I think it would be best for me to see as many people using their powers as possible because it might help me with my training," he lied.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "I don't see how watching Lee bounce around will help you."

"It will!" insisted Naruto as he pleaded with his eyes.

Sasuke huffed, crossing his arms, "Fine!" he grunted. "Five minutes and then we train."

Naruto grinned and ran back to the lounge with Sasuke in tow. Lee was standing in the middle of the club lounge with several boxes of white streamers, a number of banners reading 'Neji no Tanjobi Omedeto(3), paper lanterns, balloons and for some reason a box of masks.

"I will now complete my mission!" he shouted happily.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and threw himself into an armchair as Lee hit the timer on his watch. Naruto didn't understand where Lee had gone at first until he looked around to find a banner behind him that hadn't been there a second ago. He caught a green blur fly past as Lee attached a balloon to the helium and hung several streamers before returning to tie the balloon and attach another. After four minutes Lee hit his watch again and gave a loud cheer.

"Gai-sensei will be so proud! I must tell him!"

Naruto saw a green blur disappear through the door to the staircase and he was gone.

"Wow!" said Naruto throwing himself into a chair beside Sasuke. "He really is fast."

"Do you feel as though you learnt anything?" asked Sasuke scathingly.

"Might have if I could actually _see_ him," replied Naruto. "Who's Gai-sensei?"

"His mental mentor, he's even worse than Lee," said Sasuke leaning back into the chair with a expression of long suffering.

When Hinata returned she was no longer wearing her cloak but a thick coat. She was still wearing her long gypsy skirt but she looked a lot more normal now. Then Naruto realised what she was carrying.

"You're not blind, are you?" he asked, nodding at her cane.

Hinata blushed, "Er no, b-but Neji and I p-pretend to be since we c-can't hide our eyes very well."

"That and being blind means she's allowed to carry a weapon," added Kiba. "Nobody suspects a poor blind girl."

"A weapon?! Seriously?" asked Naruto looking her over for a katana or dagger.

The Hyuuga girl nodded. Tossing the white wooden cane in the air she caught the middle and rotated it around her wrist before catching it in both hands and holding it in a fighting stance. Naruto's eyes widened in understanding; it wasn't a walking cane at all it was a bo staff!(4) As Hinata let it slide back into an relaxed grip Naruto noticed that at both ends of the staff there was about 20cm of a silver metal and he was sure he saw something glint in the top end before she covered it with her hand.

As soon as Kiba and Hinata left Sasuke ordered him back to the arena. But the Uchiha didn't come with him, instead taking another tunnel and telling Naruto to meditate while he waited. Naruto thought the strict boy was being hypocrytical when he'd been in such a rush to train but settled in the middle of the room to meditate anyway. 'I am such a good student,' he congratulated himself.

* * *

**A/N:**

(1) Donburi is a dish consisting of boiled rice and some sort of savoury topping.

(2) The drinking age in Japan is 20.

(3) Basically 'Happy Birthday Neji'.

(4) A long staff made of tapered hard wood, bojutsu originated from the Chinese monks and reached Okinawa via trade, the monks tend to use more flexible bo's but Hinata's bo is a rigid maru-bo (round staff) which is more common in Japan. I find their martial arts fancinating ^^

-Yasu


	10. The Party Begins

Sasuke had seen the fascinated and attentive look in Naruto's eyes as Hinata handled her Bo staff and it had given him an idea. Naruto himself had said how much he was looking forward to learning to fight. It was that interest that Sasuke needed to use to get Naruto to concentrate on his training. Perhaps some real physical exercise in the midst of all the mental exercises would do Naruto good. And besides, Sasuke could do with some sparring practice, it made him restless if he couldn't get out to hunt.

But when Sasuke returned to the arena, his arms laden with several practice swords and various protective garments, he was surprised to find Naruto meditating. Sasuke stood as still as a statue on the balcony above the arena. He didn't make a sound, yet after a few seconds of watching Naruto he saw the mans back stiffen. Sasuke almost smiled when Naruto twisted around and looked straight at him.

"You sensed me," he stated.

"I... think you're right," said Naruto slowly.

"Of course I am," replied Sasuke, walking down to meet him.

Naruto's attention was quickly drawn by Sasuke's burden and he gave a shout of joy grabbing what he could from Sasuke's arms. He pulled one of the leathery vests over his head before Sasuke could even explain what the point of this was.

"Awesome!" cried Naruto brandishing a wooden practice sword. "I knew you were a nice guy really, Sasuke!"

Sasuke scowled as Naruto swung the sword randomly through the air. Naruto did a spin and once he had turned a full circle he found that Sasuke was also holding a sword. He grinned but Sasuke didn't give him a chance to think. Sasuke's sword hit his knuckles hard and Naruto's weapon flew from his fingers. Naruto swore loudly, clutching at his hand.

**-0-**

"Bastard! What the hell was that for?!"

"Be patient, if you rush into a situation you'll get hurt."

"This isn't a 'situation', it's practice!" shouted Naruto, outraged.

"Every bit of your 'practice' can be applied to your future hunting experiences," Sasuke told him calmly. "Now, how about we put on our kit and I'll explain a few things, ne?"

Naruto growled in annoyance at his smug attitude. "I've got the vest on," he pointed out.

"That's the under-vest, you wear it next to your skin."

"Oh... Okay."

Naruto promptly removed his shirt and put the vest on properly. Then Sasuke handed him a thicker vest with adjustable straps which was made of a supple but sturdy material that felt heavy and strong.

"Put these on too," ordered Sasuke tossing a pair of metal arm guards to him. "You can wear them under your clothes and they work well for deflecting hits that can't be blocked with your own weapon. They're made of a fairly strong metal, nothing compared to what Juugo could make mind," Sasuke added.

"Juugo, the doorman?"

Sasuke nodded, "His ability is changing the density of his body but over time he's learnt to apply it to objects. He altered my sword so that it was strong enough to withstand my magick on a regular basis," Sasuke drew his sword from it's original sheath, which was attached to his belt, since there was no need to disguise the weapon when he was underground. "It's a thousand times stronger than the steel crafted by sword masters." He ran the flat of his hand along it's length. "Feel it's weight."

Naruto took the sword carefully, aware of how precious it was to Sasuke, he handled it with reverence. It was indeed a lot heavier that it appeared. Naruto could only imagine the strength of the magick it withstood. Then he noticed the something he had not seen at first, the hilt was set with what looked like a huge diamond. But there was something strange about this 'diamond': the inside wasn't clear; it glinted with a silver light that didn't seem either liquid or gas but swirled in an everchanging pattern that bore no relation to the movement of the sword.

"It's a Kiyo crystal."

Naruto looked up in surprise, he had almost forgotten Sasuke was here, being so hypnotised by the crystal. "Kiyo..." he muttered.

Sasuke nodded, taking his sword back he ran his fingers over the crystal. "You will find one embedded somewhere in every hunter's weapon. They are our ultimate advantage over the demons. I believe you saw me use mine on that vampire's body on the night we met."

Naruto nodded. "She was already dead, but she turned to dust."

"Correct, a hit with a Kiyo crystal releases a sharp burst of concentrated magick which will cause the body of a parasite to turn to dust. That's because their cells have already been damaged by the magick of the virus, their bodies where never meant to handle magick. However demons, like us, have magick bred into them which makes them much more resilient than parasites. It takes a lot to kill a demon through mortal wounds alone, which limits the usefulness of our physical weapons.

"Our weakness is that we can be corrupted by demonic magicks which is an idea that demons are all too willing to exploit. It is possible to force ones magick into another's body via a flesh wound, which is what demons used to do. In that respect they have the advantage, 'it is always easier to be corrupted than to be purified', Senju Hashirama said that, so when hunters tried to force their own magicks into demons they were corrupted through the connection every time.

"But then the famous Senju clan created the Kiyo crystals, a way to store vast amounts of magick and transfer it to a demons body in one fatal hit."

Naruto gaped a little, he didn't understand the exact details but it was clear that Sasuke did. It seemed the Uchiha was only willing to _really_ talk when he had the chance to make Naruto feel utterly stupid.

"How the hell do you know so much about... everything?" asked Naruto once more feeling out of place.

"I've had my whole life to learn these things and I enjoy learning."

Naruto gave him an incredulous look. "Nerd," he muttered. "So... There's a lot of power in that stone?"

"Enough to kill roughly two dozen demons in this one I'd say." Naruto gave a low whistle. "But that's only because I charge it regularly."

"'Charge it'?"

"Like this."

Sasuke placed his hand over the glinting stone. Naruto watched as the stone began to glow brighter and brighter, the light filtering through Sasuke's fingers and turning his hand red. After a moment or so there was a low humming and Sasuke removed his hand.

"Wow, can I have a go?"

"Not with mine, I'll teach you how to do it when you get yours."

"When will that be?"

"When you get your weapon."

"Which is when?"

"When you are ready!" Sasuke snapped, getting impatient with Naruto's continuous questions.

"Best get training then, ne?" said Naruto with a smug smile.

He knew he shouldn't wind Sasuke up, but it was just too much fun seeing the serious boy showing emotion, even if it was always anger. Sasuke always seemed too mature for his age and Naruto felt it was his duty to remind him that he didn't have to act like a grumpy adult all of the time. When they were both dressed appropriately they stood opposite each other in the middle of the arena. Sasuke gave him a brief explanation of the correct way to grip the sword, which Naruto thought was obvious, but apparently Sasuke was intent of treating him like a complete novice.

"The only objective in a fight with a parasite is to kill without getting infected with their virus yourself but when you go into battle with a demon you aim to disable their movements long enough to place a hit with a Kiyo crystal in one of the vulnerable points. These are: the temples, the base of the skull, between the collarbones at the bottom of the neck, the small of the back or just below the rib cage. Bear in mind a demon will most likely be wearing protection in most of these places so the ideal method is to knock them out long enough to find an unprotected spot. Usually the temples, throat and skull are open but they tend to wear chest armor similar to ours."

"Right," replied Naruto storing it all away for future reference; he planned to be out hunting as soon as possible.

Naruto knew Sasuke was a strict teacher but he hadn't been completely prepared for how harsh the sword training would be. Sasuke was in his element, the sword was his weapon of choice and his connection with it was obvious. Naruto did his best and his reactions were quick; even he was surprised at how natural it seemed to dodge blows and keep his eyes on his partner's every move. But though he found the movements easy, the sword felt awkward in his hand; it felt too long and Naruto found that the long sweeping movements needed hindered his movements. Sasuke said to think of the sword as an extension of his own arm but Naruto felt as though his arm had just grown an ugly great tumor that he was trying to swing around.

Naruto cursed as Sasuke disarmed him again. He could tell the Uchiha wasn't fighting anywhere near as well as he could but he was still a formidable opponent.

"How does it feel to wield a sword?"

Naruto looked up in surprise, "A bit... strange, to be honest."

"Thought so, it's obvious in the way you handle it."

"Thanks," replied Naruto sarcastically.

"Don't worry, you'll find the weapon that's right for you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you'll find a weapon that feels right and when you do your fighting talent will be even better."

"Guess you found the sword, eh?"

"Exactly."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks," he said randomly.

"What for?" asked Sasuke, genuinely puzzled.

"For the compliment, you said I had talent," said Naruto with another wide grin.

Sasuke turned away so that Naruto almost missed his pout, "There was no compliment," he said firmly.

"Sure. Anyway don't you think we should get back to the lounge?"

"What for?"

"Neji's party!"

"Hn. You go, I'll tidy up."

"What? Aren't you coming?"

"It's not my kind of thing," said Sasuke, undoing the laces holding his arm-guards on.

"But what about Neji?"

Sasuke gave him a disbelieving look. "I would have thought it obvious that we don't get along."

"Why not?"

Sasuke removed his vest and undershirt before muttering, "Family differences."

"But his family doesn't live in the city, do they?"

Sasuke glared at him, "No they don't, but he constantly likes to remind me that the Hyuuga's are still around and hold a lot of power."

"Oh... okay, so what shall we do?"

Sasuke shrugged, "You're going to the party."

"Not without you," said Naruto firmly.

Sasuke scowled, "I don't need or want you stuck to my side all the time so do me a favour and go to the party."

"Nah I think I'll hang out with you. What are you going to do?" asked Naruto removing his arm-guards too.

"The most boring thing you can think of."

"Reading those old books on your shelf?"

"How did you know?" replied Sasuke sarcastically.

"I guess I just know you."

"Hn," grunted Sasuke collecting the training equipment.

"Aww come on Sas, I'm sure it'll be fun. You don't have to talk to him."

"No."

"Then I'm going to sit in your room and read your books with you," said Naruto stubbornly.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "Do you like pain Naruto?"

"Eh... no why?" Naruto slipped his under-vest over his head.

Sasuke held up a sparking hand. "Don't piss me off."

Naruto jumped backwards, "You can't hurt me if you can't reach me!" sang Naruto sticking out his tongue.

Sasuke raised a mocking eyebrow. Holding a fist up, he clenched his fingers together and then flicked them open. Naruto gave an unmanly squeal and tried to dodge as five fizzing balls of energy flew towards him. One caught his bare shoulder and stung.

"Teme! You just wait until I can use my powers," Naruto declared rubbing the numb spot.

Sasuke paused and gave him an odd look. "You should make the most of your time free from your powers."

Naruto sobered, "You act like they're evil."

"They can be."

"But they aren't originally. From what you've said our powers are good as long as we can control them."

"They are still a heavy burden."

"So let's have fun tonight, while we can, eh? Come on Sas!"

"Don't call me that."

"Fine. But you know you could use a break."

Naruto swung his arm around Sasuke's neck and grinned. Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes, carefully he extracted himself from Naruto's comfortable embrace.

"Okay, but I'm not staying long."

"As long as it's time enough for a drink or two."

"You're not old enough to drink," pointed out Sasuke.

"Heh like that ever stopped anyone."

**-0-**

The lounge was already full of people when they arrived, including Neji. Sasuke was personally glad they had missed the grand entrance. When Naruto hurried over to talk to Neji, Sasuke took the opportunity to fade into the background. But as soon as he'd sunk into an armchair in the corner he was joined by Ino and Sakura.

"Makes a change to see you at any form of social gathering Sasuke," remarked Sakura with a smug grin.

"Hn, you two made it up then."

"Mmm make up sex is the best," drawled Ino stretching her legs lazily over Sakura's lap.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He didn't want to be here and he definitely didn't want to hear that. He was about to leave when Naruto returned with drinks. Sasuke gladly downed his. An hour later Sasuke became aware that Sakura and Ino had disappeared onto the dance floor and that Karin and Juugo had taken their place.

Karin was talking to him, "You simply must try these out Sasuke!" she said excitedly. "They're Kabuto-san's latest invention, the dear of him! He sent them all the way from Oto!"

Sasuke raised a sceptical eyebrow; Karin rarely spoke good of anyone, much less Kabuto. Suigetsu walked over and pressed another drink into her hand.

"She's much more agreeable when she's drunk, don't you think Sasuke?" muttered Suigetsu sitting on the arm of Sasuke's chair.

"I swear if that's another tracker I will go all the way to Oto just to ram it up his ass!" Sasuke told Karin firmly, remembering the last time he had trusted Kabuto's technology and the leader of the Oto hunter's coven, Orochimaru, had ratted him out to Tsunade for trying to return to the Uchiha estate. He'd gotten within a mile of the deserted area when Kakashi had turned up in a black jeep and used his hypnosis powers to bring him back to the city.

"No no, not this time! Here," she passed him a pair of headphones. "They're for when you're on the surface, undercover and all that jazz!"

"Headphones? That's completely idiotic; when you're in danger of being attacked you need to be able to hear approaching enemies, not music!"

"Well there's the trick right there. Go on, try them on, you'll be surprised I bet," she waved madly at him to put them on.

Sasuke sighed in defeat and slipped them over his ears. A second later they had been thrown back at Karin. Sasuke clutched at his ears in pain.

"What the hell?!"

"Oh no Sasuke what's wrong?!" cried Karin falling to her knees in front of him.

"You just fucking deafened me is what!"

"They were set to the highest sensitivity," murmured Juugo examining the headphones that had been thrown his way. "They are designed to pick up the smallest of noises and magnify them. A high setting in a room full of loud music was bound to be painful."

"I feel so much better now I understand how I was deafened!" snapped Sasuke storming away.

**-0-**

Meanwhile Naruto had been shown into Tsunade's office.

"Naruto, I thought I'd take this opportunity to introduce you to Tenzou, he's kindly agreed to alter your boots so they're a bit more... useful." Then she turned to a man in the shadows. "Sorry to pull you away from the party Tenzou."

"Don't worry about it." Stepping into the light the man gave Naruto a friendly smile, he had an honest face and a stern glint in his eyes. "Hand me your boots then," he said briskly gesturing to Naruto's boots.

"Er... yeah," muttered Naruto unzipping his boots and wondering what Tsunade meant by 'alter'.

"I'll be right back," said Tsunade heading for the room that Naruto and Sasuke had snuck into.

Tenzou pulled a small bar of silver from his pocket and picked up one of Naruto's shoes. Naruto watched with facination as the silver appeared to melt and flow over his fingers. Then Yamato ran his finger over the metal pieces at the front and back of the boot coating each in a layer of silver.

"There you go, now they're not just a fashion statement; parasites are highly allergic to silver and that'll sting like hell if you manage to land a good kick."

"Wow, that's brilliant! Thanks," said Naruto pulling his heavy boots back on. "So your power is to melt things?"

"Not really, there's no heat involved so it's more like... moulding."

"You can 'mould' anything?"

"As long as I'm able to feel it's structure by touching it."

"Why wouldn't you be able to feel the structure?"

"Well if it's alive like plants and animals it'll have a magical barrier." Naruto gave him a puzzled look. "A thin layer of magick just below the skin. We all have it though it varies according to the strength of a persons magic so normal humans barely have any barrier. It can be bypassed via an open wound or shattered by a high density of magick, like that from a Kiyo crystal."

At that moment Tsunade returned silencing any further questions. Yamato quickly excused himself and Naruto made a mental note to ask Sasuke about 'barriers' later. Tsunade sat behind her desk and gave Naruto a piercing look that made him feel rather serious even with a decent amount of alcohol flowing through his body. She waved for him to sit down.

"There is someone here who's been holding onto some of you father's belongings."

* * *

**A/N:** Heh I hope it's okay... I'm so weighed down with essays and coursework right now so updates are likely going to be slow. Believe me I'd rather be writing this than reciting liquidity ratios and the Hawthorn Experiment. -_-;

-Yasu


	11. Surprise

**A/N:** I don't really know when was the last time I updated this was but it was probably too long. So sorry, I hope you enjoy this chapter at least.

* * *

Naruto took a seat in front of Tsunade's desk wondering what his father could have possibly left him. Jiraiya had assured him that the house had been taken care of and had arranged for a few mementos to be transferred to the flat, all of which had gone up in smoke thanks to Sasuke. The door to Naruto's left opened and a tall man walked over to the desk. His spiky silver hair glinted in the fire light and most of his face was covered by a surgical mask. One of his eyes was closed and a pale silver scar ran over the lid but his other crinkled as he smiled at Naruto.

"Naruto this is Kakashi, he knew your father better than me and he's been holding onto a few things since Minato's death."

"Nice to finally meet you Naruto," said Kakashi in a voice full of hidden humour as he offered his hand.

Naruto took it, "Have we met before?" he asked slowly, the man seemed oddly familiar.

Kakashi's one eye widened slightly, "No, no I don't think so."

"I swear we have..." persisted Naruto scratching his head, he was now almost certain he knew this man. "Kakashi... Hatake Kakashi! You used to edit Jiraiya's books for him didn't you?"

Tsunade clenched her fists, "You knew about him? All those times I asked you to get me information on the boy and you came back with nothing when you had gone as far as to meet him?!"

Kakashi sighed in defeat, his secret was out. "Minato wanted me to keep his identity secret and Jiraiya said he would hold me to it. So you see, I couldn't betray him..."

"Minato is not the leader of this coven any more Kakashi, I am! And I will not be kept in the dark! I need to know what's going on and I need to be able to trust that you will fulfil the missions I set you!" shouted Tsunade.

"I do fulfil my missions, when I am able. On this rare occasion I was not able to do so," explained Kakashi in a voice of perfect calm.

A vein popped in the side of Tsunade's head but she forced herself to sit down. She pulled one of her desk drawers open rather violently and reveal a bottle of sake and a small cup. "We'll discuss this later Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded before turning back to Naruto. "I believe you had a go at sword fighting today?" he said, taking Naruto by surprise.

"How did you know?"

"Tsunade told me."

"How did she...?"

"Neji told me," said Tsunade refilling her sake cup. "He said you didn't appear to get on very well with it."

Naruto huffed a little, so everyone knew he couldn't fight properly. "Thanks," he muttered sulkily.

"Since you're looking for a weapon to suit your fighting style..." Naruto looked up. "I thought you might want to give these a go."

Kakashi produced a package from inside his jacket and placed it gently on the desk before them all. He nodded at Naruto who opened it to reveal a sheathed dagger as well as a smaller leather pouch. The hard leather sheath of the knife was decorated with swirling golden patterns and had a strange shape to it. Naruto gingerly picked it up running his fingers over the great crystal set in the hilt before wrapping his fingers around the ridged handle of the dagger and drawing it from it's sheath. The blade glinted in the flickering light of the pale fire. It was a straight dagger and the main blade was about a foot long but before the hilt were two side blades jutting out from the main one. Naruto supposed they could be used for digging at someone or stopping a blade from running the length of the dagger to cut at his hand. He touched the edge and found that it was rather blunt, he supposed it had been out of practice for a long time. Then he examined the crystal, he was pretty certain it was a Kiyo crystal but it didn't contain a shimmering silver mist like Sasuke's had done, in fact it looked rather dull.

"Have a look in the pouch," prompted Kakashi.

Naruto picked up the leather pouch and opened it to reveal six smaller versions of the dagger. Instead of a crystal in the hilt, each had a loop at the end of the handle.

"For throwing," explained Kakashi. "Minato used to be very talented with them."

He plucked one of the knives from the pouch in Naruto's hands and used the loop to spin the small knife around his finger before gripping it as if he were about to throw it.

"These were my dad's weapons?" Naruto asked, a little in awe.

Kakashi nodded, returning the knife to it's pouch. Naruto supposed it made sense; of course such things wouldn't have been passed to him after his fathers death when they were trying to keep his hunter identity from him. Naruto wondered if Sasuke had known anything about this. He probably hadn't if Kakashi had been looking after them all this time.

"Well there you go then, you have your weapons, you can get out of my office now," said Tsunade, still grumpy about being keep in the dark all this time.

"Of course you might find these don't suit your fighting style either, But I think I've taken care of them long enough, it's better that you have them," said Kakashi.

Naruto thought the man seemed a bit sad to see them go but thanked him and made his exit. Kakashi tried to follow him but Tsunade's voice dragged him back, apparently she meant to discuss his failed mission right now. Naruto attached his father's dagger to his belt where it was hidden by his coat and then slipped the pouch of throwing knives into his pocket.

When Naruto got back to the lounge he sought out Sasuke who was sitting with a very drunk Karin, a very smug Suigetsu and a silent Juugo. Sasuke had an empty glass clutched in his hand and looked ready to murder Karin who was recounting some story about when her, Suigetsu and Juugo had lived at Oto. Apparently Sasuke and his brother had visited the Oto city coven when he was younger and Itachi had gotten on quite well with a young doctor who lived there.

Naruto decided they needed more drinks and Sasuke jumped on the chance to 'help him' and get away from the group. They were leaning against the bar when the atmosphere in the lounge changed subtly. The music still issued from the hidden speakers and people still danced and talked loudly, but two voices rang over the rest. Awkward glances were shot at the rowing duo.

"I have had enough of this!" shouted Ino. "You're so bloody overprotective."

"I'm not overprotective!" screeched Sakura. "I'm just trying to help! It's not my fault you're always getting into danger! Anyone would think you wanted to get hurt!"

"That's ridiculous! Why can't you just trust me?!"

"Ino, you're being irrational."

"I am not!" yelled Ino. "If you can't except the way I am then this is over!"

With that she turned swiftly and stormed through the crowd towards the kitchen. Sakura gave a scream of frustration and ran away down the main corridor. Naruto stood torn, his eyes flicking between both girls retreating backs. They had both become very dear to him and his instinct was to follow. It was clear to any outsider that the girls were meant to be together and it was painful to see them argue. He wanted to comfort them but he couldn't decide which way to go first. He wanted to console both of them and help them sort this out.

**-0-**

Sasuke saw everything, as did many of the hunters gathered in the lounge. Naruto had been standing right in front of him his gaze flicking between the two doorways and opposite ends of the bar. He had looked torn and then he was torn! Suddenly right in front of his eyes there had been two Naruto's and each had run after one of the girls.

Sasuke stood frozen as each of the Narutos ran away through a different doorway. He certainly couldn't chase both of the Narutos. Sasuke was, to a certain extent, shocked; of course he knew that the later a persons power surfaced the quicker the change would happen but even he hadn't expected it to be this soon. However it was the nature of his power that really shocked him; it was beyond anything he could have anticipated.

Sasuke opted to follow the Naruto that had run after Sakura. He began down the main passage knowing it was likely to be more private than the kitchen passage. Sasuke was confident that his 6th sense would lead him to Naruto so he took his time planning to arrive after Naruto had calmed Sakura down a bit.

**-0-**

Naruto was having an extremely strange experience. He had caught up with Sakura but the next second he had caught up with Ino as well. But then he was back with Sakura. Naruto shook his head on concentrated on the crying girl before him.

"I think she really meant it this time!" fretted Sakura pacing back and forth in the tunnel. "I swear, recently it's just been one argument after another. Maybe it just not meant to be... But I can't lose her, she my soul mate, I know it! But then I thought I knew her so I don't understand why she's acting like this all of a sudden."

"Why have you been arguing? Start with that," said Naruto, taking hold of Sakura's shoulders to halt her pacing.

"That's just the point; I don't know why!" cried Sakura in frustration.

"I'm sure you do, you said you know her so take a guess."

"But I'm not sure I _do_ know her! Well she keeps pulling out that overprotective stuff but I don't know how she can say that. I'm not overprotective at all! Just because I disagree about her going hunting by herself, I mean come on most hunters don't go out without their partner. She's being downright reckless!"

Naruto opened his mouth to reply but suddenly found himself looking at Ino who was ranting as much as Sakura.

"I mean come on, I need some freedom. She's being so controlling. If I want to hunt by myself then I bloody well will! I don't need her stuck to my side all the time! She thinks she's so much stronger than me, well I mean when it comes to physical strength she's obviously going to beat me but I am by no means helpless! When we were younger she was always running to me for help and when it came to fighting I beat her every time and then she gets this stupid super-strength and now she's Miss Invincible!"

Naruto once again opened his mouth to interject but again he switched locations and found that Sakura was still talking.

"Sometimes it's like she just really resents me, you know? I'm only trying to help but she can never let me protect her even for a moment. She just has to be self sufficient all the bloody time! And I'm sorry but I can't let her do that when it means she's in danger. I took a vow and I'll be damned if she's going to stop me from fulfilling it!"

Once again Naruto switched locations to find that Ino was still talking at him. He was switching bodies faster and faster. All of Sakura and Ino's words swirled madly in his head and he was beginning to feel rather dizzy from it all. He continued to switch between bodies several more times without any control over either of himself.

"SHUT UP!" he shouted eventually, clutching at his aching head.

"Eh?!" shouted Sakura and Ino in unison.

**-0-**

At that moment Sasuke rounded the corner to find Naruto on his knees cradling his aching head. Sakura was crouched beside him with a hand on his back. Sasuke rushed over to him and went to his knees in front of Naruto who was rocking back and forth. He gently removed Naruto's hands and lifted his face by the chin so he could look into his eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that they were still blue.

Sasuke rested his forehead on Naruto's and made gentle shushing noises as he held Naruto's gaze with his hands gently kneading the back of the boy's neck. He needed Naruto to calm down and so he was imitating the way his brother had reacted when Sasuke had first used his power. Using your power for the first time was often stressful and sometimes painful so the important thing was to remain calm and stop using it. Once Naruto had recovered from this episode they would be able to start exercising real control over his power but for now he just needed enough control to end it. As Sasuke placated Naruto with calming words he wondered how the hell they were going to reattach the other Naruto. Sasuke had never heard of any hunter with a power like this so they were covering entirely new territory.

When Naruto's panicked breathing finally began to slow Sasuke eased him to his feet. Naruto clutched tightly at Sasuke's arm as though to movement made him dizzy.

"We're just going to walk very slowly this way, okay Naruto?" cooed Sasuke as though he were talking to a mentally ill person.

Naruto nodded and allowed Sasuke to tug his arm over his shoulder so that he could lean on him as they made their way down the corridor to find his other body. Sasuke's mind had just returned to the dilemma of how to reattach the other Naruto when the strangest sight met his eyes. The other Naruto was coming straight at them, backwards, as though he was being dragged towards this Naruto by some invisible force. His arms were flailing madly and he was barely managing to stay on his feet as he was forced to run backwards.

The Naruto in Sasuke's arms looked up just as they were about to collide and gave a shout of surprise. But instead of crashing into each other they melted back into one. Sasuke stared in surprise at Naruto for a second before he was forced to take the boys entire weight as Naruto passed out.

"What the hell just happened?!" cried Ino running towards them having obviously followed the half flying Naruto.

"I was just about to ask the same thing," said Sakura, looking anxiously at the unconscious boy in Sasuke's arms.

Sasuke sighed. "He just used his power for the first time."

"Already?!" asked Sakura.

"You saw it didn't you? Anyway I need to get him back to his room and you two need to talk," said Sasuke giving them both a meaningful glare. "I am fed up of hearing you fight, so take some time and have a seriously honest conversation for once."

This snappy advice was the closest Sasuke was willingly to get to caring about them, so with that he grabbed Naruto firmly around the waist and threw him over his shoulder in a fireman's lift. Sakura and Ino stood silently for a while watching Sasuke carry Naruto away. But then, just when he was out of sight Sasuke heard Sakura's voice.

"I don't want to lose all the years we've spent together," she said fearfully.

"Yeah... maybe we do need to have a proper talk," admitted Ino before both of them faded from Sasuke's hearing.

He didn't use his magickal hearing to listen in since he didn't really care what was said as long as it stopped them arguing. Sasuke's journey through the tunnels was slowed by Naruto's weight; he couldn't remember ever having to carry another person so he didn't have any way of comparing but Naruto seemed really heavy. When he finally got the boy back to his room he dropped Naruto on the bed none too gently and upside down.

Sasuke was about to throw the covers over him when he noticed something strange. Naruto's coat had fallen open to reveal a sheathed dagger hanging from his belt. Sasuke knelt on the edge of the bed and leaned over Naruto to examine it. He gently tugged the strange dagger from it's sheath and ran his fingers over the crystal. There was no magick in it and Sasuke wondered where Naruto had gotten such an old knife, he was sure Naruto had had no such weapon earlier.

Once more Sasuke leaned over Naruto. He replaced the dagger and turned his attention to the sheath. The golden spiral that adorned it stirred some long forgotten memory. Sasuke frowned and then it came to him, an image of Fugaku telling him about the old hunter families. He was certain this was the crest of the Namikaze clan. So this was likely the weapon of one of Naruto's relatives...

"It was my father's."

Sasuke jumped back. Naruto smiled lightly at the embarrassment that flashed momentarily across Sasuke's face before a glare sprung into his eyes.

"How long have you been awake?" demanded Sasuke; if he found out that he had carried Naruto's dead weight all that way for nothing he would be pissed.

"I only just woke up. Did you carry me back here?"

"Hn."

"Guess we're even then."

"Not really, you were bloody heavy."

"It's all my muscle," replied Naruto promptly.

"Hn," grunted Sasuke, standing up and getting ready to leave.

But Naruto called him back. "What happened to me?"

Sasuke stopped and looked back at Naruto. "You used your power."

Naruto's jaw dropped a little. "Seriously?! But I didn't know what the hell was happening, it was like I was in two places at once!"

"You were in two places at once," said Sasuke, sitting down on the sofa at the end of Naruto's bed. "You split into two and followed Sakura and Ino at the same time."

"I split in two... What like down the middle?" asked Naruto rubbing his midriff nervously.

"No, usuratonkachi. There were two of you, don't you remember any of it?"

"Er... I sort of remember... it was all a bit confusing really. I was flicking between Sakura and Ino and I kept going faster and faster, I had a terrible headache 'cause I couldn't control it at all and I think I shouted and then... you were there." Naruto looked at Sasuke with an odd expression on his face. "You kept me in one place..."

Sasuke looked away, "I guess it's not possible to be in two places at once then," he said thoughtfully. "It sounds like your conscious can only be in one body at a ti-"

"Ooh I remember now, you were helping me walk and then another me came flying along! He must have knocked me out... but where is he now?"

"He didn't knock you out, you fainted after he merged with you."

"Ah... but I didn't faint!"

"Baka, I saw you; I had to hold you up!"

"Yeah but I didn't faint; fainting isn't manly, I passed out." Naruto gave a wide yawn.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever, you should get some sleep."

Sasuke turned away and went in search of Tsunade; she had made him promise to tell her as soon as Naruto's power emerged.

**-0-**

Naruto watched Sasuke leave without another word. He yawned again and forced himself to at least take off his outer clothes and newly acquired weapons before crawling back into bed. Naruto didn't think he'd ever felt this exhausted, except it wasn't the normal kind of exhaustion but rather he felt that there was something missing from his person. But he couldn't think about it anymore; his brain felt overworked for the first time since he'd tried revising for exams back at school. The last thing Naruto saw before he sunk into dreams was a pair of infinitely dark eyes staring calmly at him.

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews are always wonderful. I'll try not to keep you waiting for the next chapter!

-Yasu


	12. Learning

**A/N:** I have to say I wasn't terribly impressed with this chapter but anyway... I'll get on with it now.

* * *

_The sounds of the city bombarded his hearing and the smell of a nearby sewer filtered into his senses. He was standing in a narrow alleyway that seemed oddly familiar as though he had been this way once before. Silhouetted against the lights of the city at the end of the alley was a retreating figure. Naruto stepped forward in a trance, instinctively following the man who's long coat flared in his wake. He walked a little way behind the man, tempted to call out but unable to speak. The mysterious figure walked briskly along the city streets as cars streaked by with their headlights glaring unsympathetically at Naruto. He was insanely curious as to the identity of this mysterious stranger but all he could do was hurry along behind him blending into the crowd to avoid discovery._

_They turned down a small road that may have been a wide alley. At the end the man stopped, Naruto instinctively threw himself behind a dustbin so he wouldn't be seen. He wasn't quite sure why he was hiding but he knew he'd be in trouble if he was caught. After a moment though Naruto's curiosity got the better of him and he chanced a glance around the edge of the bin. He was sure the man had been checking for followers but he wasn't anymore. He was leaning against the wall with his eyes trained on the night sky stained by light pollution. His pale face was lit by the harsh lights of the city which glittered in his black eyes. Naruto wondered what he was looking at but it didn't seem to be anything in particular. As Naruto watched the young man took a deep breath and pushed away from the wall._

_Naruto followed him out of the sheltered alley and onto the street. Across the road was a nightclub with a number of extremely dressed club goers outside. The neon sign read 'Gin no Daiyamondo' which for some strange reason made Naruto want to smile; the name 'Silver's Diamond' had secret connotations. He looked around for the man he had been following and felt his heart give an unhealthy jolt when he saw the man standing next to him._

_The stranger sneered, "Naruto..."_

_Naruto backed away suddenly remembering why he didn't want to be seen; he was going to get shocked again!_

_"Naruto!"_

_But how did he know Naruto's name?_

"Naruto! Get the hell up!"

Naruto sat bolt upright. "Eh? What?!" he shouted in confusion.

"Hn, you're such a heavy sleeper," muttered Sasuke, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, mornin' bastard."

"It's night time," said Sasuke snidely.

"Shut up, Suigetsu said you people call it morning anyway."

"Whatever. Get up, get dressed, Tsunade wants to see you down in the arena."

Naruto jumped out of bed. "What? Why?" he asked, fearing he'd done something wrong.

"I had to tell her your power had come out. I did tell her last night but she was a bit drunk and it appears she's only just remembered."

"Right..." Sasuke was about to leave again when Naruto's dream came back to him. "Hey, Sas?"

Sasuke huffed at his name being shortened again. "What?"

"That night we met... You know how I followed you back here."

"Yes," said Sasuke tersely.

"Why didn't you sense me? I mean with your sixth sense, you should've known I was there..."

"Hn." Sasuke crossed his arms in an unconsciously protective gesture. "I wasn't really myself that night," he said cryptically.

"What does that mean?" pushed Naruto.

Sasuke shifted his weight to his other foot. "I was... considering running away again."

Naruto thought about the Sasuke in his dream, the thoughtful look he'd had as he gazed almost longingly at the night sky. "Why would you run away?"

Sasuke glared this time. It was clear his patience was wearing thin but he decided to answer anyway. "It was the anniversary of my clan's death and Tsunade refused to let me visit their graves again."

"Oh... but why wouldn't she let you?"

"She used to let me visit, never alone mind. But a few years ago the demons realised what we were doing and staged an ambush. We all escaped alright but Tsunade deemed that it would be too dangerous to continue."

"They'd even attack you at your parent graves?" asked Naruto, appalled.

"You need to realise, Naruto, that they aren't human. They don't care for human emotions or rather they see them as our weakness and enjoy exploiting them. It's how they work and until you understand that you'll find it impossible to take their lives. Get ready quickly and meet me at the arena. No breakfast."

"Bastard," muttered Naruto as the bedroom door closed behind Sasuke.

Ten minutes later Naruto arrived to find Sasuke, Tsunade and Neji waiting for him. Sasuke seemed to have been explaining exactly what he had witnessed last night.

"Ah Naruto, glad you could finally join us," said Tsunade. "I hear your power emerged last night. It's a shame I couldn't see it immediately but I was a little busy and I'm sure Sasuke took good care of you. Anyway I want you to show me what you can do so far. Neji's going to observe the movement of your magick, you might find his input useful."

Naruto gulped. "Well I don't really know how to use it yet, it sort of just happened by accident."

"Of course, it's always an accident at first. You need to remember how you were feeling at the time and simulate that. The first time you use magick it will be unconscious what comes next is finding a conscious trigger that will allow you to control it."

Naruto nodded and thought back to the moment when he had split bodies. He had wanted to go both left and right at the same time so maybe if he tried that now... Naruto concentrated hard on looking both left and right but nothing happened. He was acutely aware of Neji's pale eyes looking right through him.

"It's okay, just relax," said Tsunade as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"What are you visualising?" asked Neji.

"Erm... looking both left and right at the same time."

"Hmm, when you were concentrating your magick was swirling quite rapidly at the centre of your body. Maybe if you try separating it, in one great rush so that it goes in opposite directions?"

"Right..." said Naruto nodding slowing.

He didn't know how he was supposed to do that if he couldn't feel his own magick but he closed his eyes and began to concentrate anyway. He wasn't sure how long he stood there but as he pulled his attention from the room to the inside of his own body he became less aware of his spectators. It was a similar feeling to that he got when he meditated as Sasuke had taught him. He thought about separating his magick as Neji had said and though he wasn't exactly aware of his magick he thought he felt something shift in the pattern of his body.

Naruto tried again to emulate that feeling but on a greater scale and gradually he felt a pull as though he was being stretched in two directions. But every time he reached the limit of his elasticity he was pulled back into one big swirling mass. He pulled harder and this time when he reached his limit he imagined that a sword cut him in half. A great relief hit him and Naruto opened his eyes to find himself looking at another Naruto.

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Tsunade.

"Which of you is consciously Naruto?" asked Sasuke.

"Me," replied the right hand Naruto.

"At least I think so..." said the left hand Naruto.

"Look in opposite directions," said Sasuke.

Once the two Naruto's had turned to face opposite walls Sasuke walked in front of the left Naruto.

"Naruto, do you see me?" he asked.

"No," answered the right hand Naruto.

"Oh, hang on a sec, yeah I do! I can see you now, Sasuke," said the left one.

"Thought so, you switched bodies because you were trying to see me. Now try not to switch again."

Naruto nodded and concentrated on looking at Sasuke.

"So when you think about seeing what the second you sees, you switch," said Tsunade's voice from behind him.

"Yea-" As soon as Naruto opened his mouth to answer he found himself looking at Tsunade. "Oops I switched again." Naruto concentrated on the thought of Sasuke and found himself looking at Sasuke again. "Back again! I think I'm getting the hang of this!" he said excitedly.

"How did you reattach last time?" asked Neji and Naruto switched again without thinking.

"I don't know I just remember a sort of tugging feeling and then I was stumbling backwards..."

"But your conscious mind was with me in one body so you couldn't have known what the other you was doing," pointed out Sasuke and Naruto's conscious switched to look at him.

"But I remember it," protested Naruto.

"What if," Naruto switched again to see Neji. "When you reconnected, your memories from both versions of you merged?" suggested Neji.

"That could be right."

Suddenly Naruto was looking at Sasuke again.

"Did you have any control over the reattachment?" asked Tsunade. Naruto switched again.

"Nope. But I'm starting to get a headache again," said Naruto raising a hand to his temple his vision was beginning to blur.

"Are you switching?" asked Sasuke and Naruto could see his blurred features.

"Yeah."

"Try and stop," suggested Sasuke, his voice sounding distant and echoing

"I don't think I can." Naruto found himself looking at Tsunade and Neji for no particular reason. "It was like this last time," He switched again. "I couldn't," Switch, "Control it!"

Both Naruto's cursed at almost the same time and clutched at their heads, the pain was getting more and more persistent and Naruto's vision was swimming dangerously.

"Calm down," said Sasuke stepping up to one of the Naruto's and gripping his shoulders, whilst Neji supported the other one. "Concentrate on staying here, with me."

Naruto managed to nod. He took a few calming breaths and Sasuke's face began to come back into focus.

"Can you reconnect with you other body?"

Naruto didn't feel capable of speech so he just shook his head.

"Imagine it's connected to you by a string and try tugging on the thread," suggested Neji.

Naruto took a shuddering breath and drew strength from Sasuke's steady grip on his shoulders. He tried imagining what Neji had said and found he could almost see a thin silver thread in his minds eye connecting his two bodies. He concentrated on dragging his other body towards himself by that thread and the next second his headache seemed to double.

Sasuke supported him as Naruto's legs gave way. The Uchiha lowered him to the ground and Naruto knelt with his head spinning. After a moment it lessened and he looked up to see Neji looking bewildered and rubbing his hand.

"You were intangible," he muttered. "The other you reached out and as soon as his hand touched your back my hand went right through him."

"Interesting... that could be useful," said Tsunade. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay, at least I didn't pass out this time," said Naruto feeling heartily glad he had managed to avoid the embarrassment.

"Hmm... So it's exhausting, but you may be able to build an immunity to that effect. The first time you did it you were dragged back together after a certain amount of time, you can probably extend that time by practicing. But your main problem is controlling the switching between bodies, I think that is also going to be a case of practice makes perfect. Overall though, a good start. This power looks to have a lot of potential," summarised Tsunade. "I suggest you go and get some breakfast in you. I need to be getting back to work, Kakashi should be here soon with some information from his partner on police activities. That is providing he's not late again."

Tsunade left and Neji said he was going to find Shikamaru and see if he fancied going hunting leaving Naruto and Sasuke in the empty arena. Naruto stood up properly and stretched his tired muscles.

"Lovely start to the day," he said sarcastically.

"Plenty more of that to come. I did advise you to enjoy the time you had without your powers."

"Ouch!" cried Naruto clutching at his heart in mock agony. "You hit me with the fatal 'I told you so' blow, how will I ever recover?"

"I'm sure you'll survive," replied Sasuke, rolling his eyes.

Naruto laughed happily and glanced around the cavernous room. "Ne, Sasuke, I've been wondering... how the hell do you all live down here?"

"What are you getting at?"

"I mean, water and electricity bills I suppose can be sent to the club up there but what about oxygen? Does it get pumped in from somewhere 'cause I never see any vents," said Naruto gesturing to the solid brick walls.

Sasuke stared at him for a moment. "I must say I didn't ever expect to hear such sensible questions coming from you, Naruto."

"Bastard, I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"It wasn't one. But your answer is hanging directly above us."

Naruto looked up and the pale flames above them. "Er Sasuke, I was never very good at science in high school but even I know fire _burns _oxygen."

"Does that look like normal fire to you? Look closely and you'll see a branch burning within it."

Naruto squinted at the flames and sure enough there was a branch but it wasn't brown anymore, it was white.

"We call it witchfire. It's a pretty simple spell and probably the most commonly used one today in a time when many of the old spells have been lost. Witchfire uses carbon dioxide and produces oxygen, like a tree."

Naruto looked from the 'witchfire' to Sasuke. "Everything really is backwards here, isn't it?"

"Not everything."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry I had rather a lot of explaining to do with this chapter. I promise it's going to start speeding up soon though.

-Yasu


	13. A Change of Scenery

**A/N:** Here we go, here we go, here we go again, oh here we go again! Hopefully this chapter is a bit more interesting than the last one.

* * *

A fortnight had passed since Naruto's undeniable proof of his hunter identity had surfaced and he had made a certain amount of progress. He could now split in two and stay that way for nearly ten minutes before he was forced to reattach. Sasuke had been training him to use his father's weapons in between bouts of exercising his power. Naruto had found the sturdy dagger infinitely preferable to a sword; it was lightweight, durable in it's uses and perfect for a quick strike.

Naruto had been rather put out the first time he had practiced with the throwing knives however. Sasuke had set up targets at varying heights around the domed arena wall and then pulled out a set of throwing knives he had borrowed from Tenten. After showing Naruto the best way to handle them for an accurate hit he had performed a complicated flip in midair and hit every one of the targets, dead centre.

"I thought your weapon was your sword?" he had asked grumpily.

Sasuke had merely smirked however. "Just because my preferred weapon is the sword doesn't erase the need to be adept in other areas. Itachi always lectured me on the importance of being able to improvise. If I am separated from my weapon I need to be able to use any weapon available or even make my own."

So although Naruto mainly practiced with his own weapons Sasuke made sure that he had, at least, handled various others. Sasuke had shown him the correct way to hold each of them and what the basic strikes were, something which would be important later on.

"When facing an unknown opponent we can at least have a little knowledge of their weapons and how they may strike at you," Sasuke had told him logically.

His teacher, as Naruto mockingly called him, had even gone as far as to bring volunteers to the arena to share their own experience. Naruto had seen some amazing mock battles in the past week. Tenten and Lee had been glad to go head to head, Lee with his nunchaku and Tenten her sansetsukon(1). They had fought so vigorously that Sasuke had asked them to slow down and show Naruto the basics of their movements before continuing. In the end Tenten had pinned Lee to the ground with her staff under his chin after tripping him by sending wooden throwing stars flying at the backs of his knees. She was a formidable opponent as various flying weapons orbited her during battle, flying in to attack whenever there was an opening controlled, of course, by her telekinetic ability. Naruto had nearly been hit by one of the practice throwing stars after Lee had used his superior speed to dodge the ten or so madly rotating objects that had flown at him. Luckily Tenten had commanded it to stop in midair just before it made contact.

Naruto had also been treated to a tutorial on the correct handling of sai by Sai himself. The strange man had apparently named himself after the weapon when he no longer remembered his birth name due to amnesia. It seemed the coven was full of people with strange or tragic pasts. Naruto supposed he should have expected it since discovering that a war raged under everyone's noses. War always led to suffering and families were often broken up. The sai had turned out to be surprisingly strange to handle; Naruto had initially tried to hold them like he would his dagger before being corrected. They were durable, yes, but it would be an unnecessarily complicated process to become well practiced in their use.

Overall Naruto was glad when he was allowed to fight with his dagger. It was such a simple weapon with so many possibilities. He had just retrieved his throwing knives from several targets that he'd managed to hit and a few he hadn't, when Sasuke descended from the steps where he had been reading one of his heavy books.

"I think that's enough for now, why don't we go for lunch?" said Sasuke moving to take the targets down from their hooks on the curved arena walls and using a hooked pole to remove the ceiling ones.

"But I'm still missing some of the targets," protested Naruto.

Sasuke gave him a pensive look. "You've made a lot of progress."

"But I still need to improve."

"You have your whole life to improve. In two weeks you've learnt the basics of self defence and even mastered striking back to a certain degree. Not to mention controlling your powers. It's more than most people could manage."

"Ah, 'cause I'm special, eh?" said Naruto with a satisfied grin.

-0-

"You're special because you have hunter blood in you. Which of course makes you no more special than me or anyone else here," lied Sasuke.

It was a true enough statement designed to deflate Naruto's ego but at the same time something about it nagged at Sasuke. Of course Naruto's fighting instinct and the remarkable way he learned the necessary skills at such speed could easily be attributed to his hunter blood. No, what bothered Sasuke was Naruto's surprisingly firm grip on his powers. He had warned Naruto against the pull of demonic magicks which everybody felt and fought against but as far as he could tell Naruto had so far felt no such pull. Although this was in some ways a blessing Sasuke was not so naive that he could believe it would remain this way. Sooner or later Naruto was bound to come across the same decision they all had to face and he had a nasty feeling that should the dilemma present itself later it would be even more formidable than normal.

"Hmm I suppose so. I still wouldn't mind training some more."

"Have you finished packing?"

"Well... no."

"Then training is over for today. Go and pack, I'll tidy up and meet you in the kitchen."

Sasuke had been called to Tsunade's office as soon as he'd returned from his hunting in the early hours of yesterday morning. She had invited him to sit as she settled into her tall chair behind the dark wood desk. Sasuke usually knew why he was being summoned so when he was in the dark he took it as an ill omen.

"I'm sending Naruto away to Hyuuga forest to complete his training," she told him simply, as if she were merely informing him of his next target.

"What in demon's name?!" burst Sasuke, unable to contain himself. "You entrusted his training to me and now you want to pack him off to the mountains?"

It wasn't as if he really cared about Naruto but Sasuke felt that after she had forced him into his position as Naruto's teacher she could at least let him see it through. He had invested a great deal of hard work into the matter and didn't want his... what? Student? Trainee? Apprentice? ...Friend? Whatever Naruto was to him he heartily objected to handing his training over to the Hyuuga's!

"Don't worry, Sasuke, you'll be going with him," Tsunade said pleasantly.

Sasuke gaped. Well that just hardened his resolve. "No." He flat out refused to go and live with the damn Hyuuga clan.

"Be grateful, isn't this what you keep bugging me about? The chance to live and train on the surface?"

He knew she was perfectly aware that gratitude was the last thing on his mind. "I've been asking you to let me return to the Uchiha home now that I am stable again."

"Didn't you have another relapse just recently?" she asked shrewdly.

Sasuke didn't pause, "That's not the point-" he tried.

"No," she cut him off, "The point is that the estate is not safe, as you well know! That place would need constant guards, a feat which you alone, no matter how strong, could not accomplish. Now enough of your childish protests, you are going to Evergreen Forest along with Naruto and by the time you both return I expect him to be a fully fledged member of this hunt!"

"You're sending him there to get initiated?" asked Sasuke, suddenly glimpsing a hint of reason in her ridiculous plan.

"Partly, but I made this decision based on the valuable fighting experience he can gain from training with the head of the Hyuuga household. I'm sure you've heard of Hiashi's abilities from Sakura and Ino's time there. It's simply the best place for Naruto to train and you could do with getting out of the city for a while. Try and see it like a holiday if you will, the countryside and mountain air should do you some good. I expect you to come back a looking a bit more... animated. I'd say the same for Naruto... but I don't think I could handle it. You'll be leaving early tomorrow morning with Neji, Hinata, Shikamaru and Tenzou who has business nearby. Pack for a couple of months."

Sasuke was quite frankly appalled at how long he was going to be forced to spend in the company of the Hyuuga family. She wanted Naruto to be a fully fledged hunter by the time they returned? Sasuke had no doubt that Naruto could achieve that in the allotted time period. Sasuke sighed, he had thought Naruto would only have to visit the lake in the Hyuuga forest for his initiation, had even hoped Naruto would be permitted his initiation ceremony on Uchiha ground. The prospect of spending the next few months in the company of the Hyuuga clan was thoroughly depressing for Sasuke so by the time they were ready to depart he was in a foul mood.

-0-

Naruto was so excited. He was going to meet Neji and Hinata's family, he was going to train with the head of the clan as well as Sasuke! But what Naruto was most looking forward to was being above ground, he longed to feel the breeze ruffling his hair, see the vast open sky and watch the sun make it's journey from east to west. He missed being above ground; the novelty of a secret underground lair wore off rather quickly.

They were to depart in the early hours of the morning, when the streets were quietest and the scum of the city had sated their animalistic needs. So after their midnight lunch Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, Neji and Shikamaru gathered in the lounge with their bags in tow, Shikamaru's being rather smaller as he was only joining them for a few days.

Apparently Shikamaru and Tenzou were visiting the town near the Hyuugas' place to sort out some trouble. It hadn't occurred to Naruto before now that lived elsewhere but he supposed it should have been obvious, as all things are once you know the answer. Most demons lived in densely populated areas so most hunters did the same. Sasuke had obviously noted his surprise over the matter as he informed Naruto that 'watchers' were positioned in smaller settlements as well as all over the city, and it was their job to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity and notify the main coven. It all seemed very organised to Naruto and he would have been surprised at how smoothly things operated if he hadn't known how old the system was. The fact that a large proportion of the watchers were people with no magical qualities whatsoever was a bit harder to grasp. This world operated in absolute secrecy yet there were people trusted with the information so that they could be the eyes and ears of the hunters. The watchers, Sasuke informed him, were usually people who had stumbled into their world by accident, much like Naruto had. People who had been rescued and didn't want to just forget the ordeal or the people who had unknowingly built a family with a hunter.

"Ready to go?" asked Shikamaru, snapping Naruto out of his reflection.

Heaving a military style duffle bag over his shoulder Naruto followed their group to the spiral staircase. Sasuke had told him to pack for a few months so Naruto had packed everything he had acquired over his time at the coven, including the new clothes the girls had continued to gift him despite his protests.

"You need clothes and since you can't go and buy them yourself we'll just have to do it for you. Oh come on Naruto, this will look gorgeous on you!" had been Sakura's argument when he tried to give the gifts back, unwilling to accept anymore charity. But Naruto had to admit he liked the clothes they had chosen and since they obviously enjoyed dressing him up he had allowed it to continue. He suspected their persistence had something to do with the way Sasuke refused to accept the same kind of treatment.

Upstairs Juugo greeted them as usual and they made their way through the quiet club. Everything was packed away from the previous night making it seem rather creepy. Instead of heading out of the front entrance they went behind the bar and through a door labelled 'Employees Only' to a lounge with a large number of computers.

"Well having internet connected to an underground labyrinth would be a rather suspicious request to make of an internet service provider," said Sasuke when Naruto questioned it.

"So you don't live in the dark ages?"

"Only down there."

Outside Naruto stood in the sheltered car park, empty apart from an old but powerful looking motorbike and several overflowing dumpsters. It wasn't exactly the wonderful first sight Naruto had been hoping for after resurfacing. They were still in the dark hours before dawn and the dumpsters really stank. Neji led them across the road to a nearby set of garages beneath high rise flats. The garages were filled with an odd assortment of cars, they were all so different Naruto couldn't guess what type of people lived in the tower block. Some of the cars were shiny and new, others old and battered, some sleek, or off road. Naruto eyed a giant motorbike with some longing.

Tenzou was waiting for them beside a old black jeep complete with blacked out windows and chipped paint. "Like our collection?"

"You own all these cars?" asked Naruto in astonishment.

Tenzou laughed, "Certainly not; they belong to the coven, for Hunter's who require them. This is the biggest garage though there are a fair few in the dockyard along with a few boats."

"Boats?!"

Tenzou just laughed again and helped Hinata climb up into the passenger seat. Naruto looked again at the motorbike and wondered if he could persuade Tsunade that he required that one. Sasuke opened the boot to reveal a long seat that faced the rear view window. Naruto clambered in after Sasuke with some difficulty and Shikamaru tossed their bags in.

"How are you two getting there?" asked Naruto; there wasn't enough seats in the small jeep.

"I'm riding with Shikamaru," said Neji nodding towards the motorbike leaning against the back wall of the club. "We'll take a different route and Hinata and I will watch for danger."

As the jeep roared into life Naruto strapped himself in and Sasuke carefully placed his 'umbrella' in his lap. Naruto looked out of the window as Tenzou drove onto the road to see Neji mounting the large motorbike behind Shikamaru. At first glance they appeared to be boyfriend and girlfriend as both were wearing bulky jackets that disguised their figures and Neji's long hair was flowing out of his helmet and down his back.

Naruto chuckled a little. "They look like a couple," he joked, nudging Sasuke.

"They are," he replied without looking.

Hinata giggled from the front seat, "3 years on Neji's birthday."

Naruto made a small noise of surprise and recalled a comment Kiba had made on Neji's birthday about Shikamaru 'keeping him busy' while they prepared the party. It was nice to see that a relationship could succeed in this world of constant fighting. Perhaps Ino and Sakura could get over their arguments some day and be like them. Naruto looked sideways at Sasuke. He wondered if Sasuke would ever enjoy such a stable relationship; the Uchiha was so cold all the time and never gave any indication of wanting company. Sasuke was surrounded by people who seemed to like him but at the same time he was all alone. It made Naruto sad to think of Sasuke always being alone, it was an all to familiar story.

The journey out of the city passed in near silence, neither Sasuke or Hinata were natural conversationalists and Tenzou was listening intently to an old police radio.

"Isn't it illegal to listen in to police channels?" asked Naruto as they were leaving the city.

"We have permission," said Sasuke, still staring out of the window.

"So you work with the Police force?"

"No, just the few who know about us."

"Who's that?"

-0-

Sasuke shrugged, "Kakashi's partner is pretty high up and he said we could use them. I think it was Shikamaru's friend that sorted it though. They know it's for a good cause but it's our protection that really persuades them to bend the rules."

"They'd lose their jobs if they were found out?"

Sasuke nodded, still listening to the Police officers sending their messages. There were only radios in the Hunt's cars but he'd taken it upon himself to learn all the codes for future use and was now cycling through them in his mind. There was a 'disturbance; possible assault' being reported down by the docks. Tenzou grabbed his phone from the dashboard and tossed it to Hinata.

"Call Kiba, he should be able to check it out before patrol cars reach them."

"What's going on?" asked Naruto as Hinata quickly relayed the message to Kiba who had obviously picked the phone up straight away.

"This is our system for dealing with the problem, it's not as effective as the Police but it's the best we can do whilst operating under the radar. We hear something that might be demonic in any way and we call the Hunter who's territory it is."

Kiba called back ten minutes later to tell them that an early morning workman had had a run in with a werewolf. "I broke them up of course."

Hinata bit her lip, "Are you okay?"

"Course I am! I sent that mutt running with his tail between his legs! Not that he had a tail... since it isn't the full moon."

"Are werewolves dangerous without the full moon then?" whispered Naruto who had apparently also been using his special hearing to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Yeah, but they're not blood thirsty, just really bad tempered. They don't transform fully until the full moon when they have to hunt. They're a lot stronger than any normal human though... and a lot more hairy."

As the jeep cruised along the quite roads outside Konoha City Sasuke leant back on the sofa-like seat. The monotony of driving always made him tired and he'd been out for a last hunt in the city early in the night. As they drove past increasingly rural scenery the horizon grew lighter. The road was taking them higher and at one turn Sasuke could see all of Konoha stretching out around the mouth of the great river which they followed towards it's mountain origins. Sasuke and Naruto were perfectly positioned to watch the sun rise through the rear window. The sky was streaked with pink and grey clouds as the suns first rays hit the vast ocean.

But Sasuke had lost interest in the spectacle. Instead he was looking at Naruto's face which had lit up even more so than the sky. Naruto watched with a rapture that surprised Sasuke but kept him riveted. He seemed to receive a burst of energy as the sun rose so that his skin took on a healthy shade of tan and his blue eyes sparkled with it. It was as though Naruto was seeing something infinitely precious for the first time and Sasuke knew that, for Naruto, living underground had been torture. His sunny disposition had distracted perhaps even Naruto himself from the adverse effects of living in the dark but Sasuke suspected that living at the coven constantly as Sasuke was forced to do would not be possible for Naruto. The darkness would eventually erode his bright soul. This was someone who lived in the sunlight.

* * *

(1) Sansetsukon/3 sectional staff: Three short wooden staffs connected by chains/rings so they can be swung around in a lot of very complicated moves. Sansetsukon are quite difficult to master but I guess that just proves how good Tenten is, ne?

**A/N:** I'm glad I still enjoy writing this story. Hope you still enjoy reading it! Please review, ja!

-Yasu


	14. New Surroundings

**A/N:** It's been too long again hasn't it? I swear I'm going to try and be more regular with this one... and update some of my other stories ^^;

* * *

The day wore on and Naruto followed the sun's progress across the sky for as long as he was able. But eventually the hum of the road beneath the jeeps tyres combined with a full night's training lulled him into a lethargic state. The Police radio no longer blurted out hurried transmissions; they were out of the signal range by now, high up in the mountains that separated Konoha from Suna. The highest peaks to the west towered over them, steely grey and menacing but far beneath over a sheer drop from the road lay lush fields and on the steeper slopes, expansive vineyards. Naruto had drunk in the sight of them for many hours but now he turned inwards and curled up on the sofa-like backseat.

Next to him Sasuke was already asleep, as was Hinata. The stoic boy had transferred his sword to it's original sheath and held it tightly to his chest as he slept. Naruto noticed a small red and white insignia at the top of the polished sheath, it looked rather like an uchiwa fan and Naruto knew immediately that this must be the symbol for the Uchiha clan. Neji had shown Naruto the Hyuuga family's symbol which he wore as a clasp for his cloak (an apparently traditional form of dress for the Hyuuga clan). Naruto wondered if the Namikaze clan had a symbol, he thought it might be nice to wear something so connected with the family he had once been part of.

Here in the car Sasuke slept just as tensely as he had in the city. His shoulders were hunched and his grip on his sword unrelenting, he even had small frown marks. Naruto hoped he would relax a bit at the Hyuuga's home since he wouldn't need to worry about being attacked. Neji had told Naruto it was a beautiful place but he didn't know much other than it's location in the mountains. Naruto sighed happily; his life was definitely looking up, not only did he have friends and somewhere to sleep, but he was escaping the stifling city. Snuggling down in the new jumper Sakura had brought him Naruto fell asleep with images of the dramatic landscape flowing through his mind.

When he awoke it had started raining. Tenzou had stopped the jeep in a lay-by in a flatter area of terrain than before. They were now surrounded by farming fields on one side and a dense forest of fir trees on the other. In the distance Naruto could just see a sprawling town through the rain which had started coming down in sheets.

"Who wants to get out and open the gate?" asked Tenzou.

Naruto volunteered immediately; he didn't mind a bit of rain and welcomed the chance to stretch his legs. He jumped out of the jeep and ran through the downpour to a metal gate with a no entry sign on it. It looked like the entrance to a work plant and Naruto wondered if he had the right gate... except that this was the only gate. It wasn't padlocked so Naruto tried to pull it open, but it wouldn't budge. He tugged harder and still the gate was stubborn.

"Forgot you wouldn't know." Naruto turned to find a wet Sasuke standing behind him. "Press magick into the pentacle, like you would a crystal."

"Eh?"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's hand and guided it to the gate post. He pressed their hands over a five pointed star engraved into the top and hissed. "Do it!"

"Er right," muttered Naruto, distracted by the pressure of that long fingered hand over his.

Sasuke let go and Naruto recalled how he had been taught to charge the Kiyo crystal in his dad's dagger. Visualising the magick in his veins he collected the power in his hand and delivered a burst of magick into the gate post. The symbol glowed very briefly until the gate came loose and swung open a bit in the wind. Together they pushed it open for the jeep to drive through and then let it close again before jumping back into the warm interior of the jeep, now dripping water everywhere. Naruto shook his head like a dog and opened his eyes to find a disgruntled Uchiha glaring at him.

"What? It's not like you could get any wetter," he pointed out.

"H-here," said Hinata handing them both clean towels from the front.

As they dried up Tenzou drove them further into the deep forest. Here the trees were so close together they created a canopy which sheltered them from most of the rain, though pine needles occasionally fell onto the windshield, weighed down with water. It was also quieter here, as though they had just entered a tome or perhaps an old temple, the outside world didn't exist here or otherwise it was muffled and unimportant. As they continued through the forest they seemed to be descending into a valley. In fact the whole forest seemed centred around a great v-shaped valley and through the bottom ran a wide river, fast flowing in the direction they had come. The road followed this river for a while on a slow incline until they reached a rickety old foot bridge. Beside it was a tiny gatehouse, though there was no sign of a gate.

"We're on foot from here," said Tenzou parking up next to the hut.

As they jumped out Neji and Shikamaru came out of the gatehouse, their motorbike had gotten them here much faster than the old jeep and was now leant in the shelter of the hut.

"Good t-to be home isn't it nii-san?"

"That rather depends on the reception don't you think?" replied Neji, squeezing Hinata's hand for a moment.

"Yes... I d-do hope otou-san doesn't t-try to make us stay again," she said peering across the bridge.

"He can't _make_ us do anything."

Naruto turned to look over the bridge. The forest was still dense and dark but he now realised he could see a collection of buildings through the gloom. It appeared they had finally arrived, he felt a thrill of excitment. Sasuke however seemed highly reluctant to proceed any further, he was looking at the foot bridge with an air of distrust.

"It's a lot safer than it looks," said Neji cheerfully.

Sasuke glared at him but the Hyuuga simply hoisted his backpack higher and walked out onto the bridge. Hinata followed him and they both crossed safely. Tenzou and Shikamaru also crossed but Naruto hung back with Sasuke.

"What's wrong Sasuke?"

"Nothing! I just don't like the idea of falling into that river!" snapped Sasuke, still looking at the drop into cold water.

"You won't fall and even if you did, you could just swim to the bank."

Sasuke didn't answer.

Naruto looked at him curiously. "You can't swim? ...Can you?"

"I live in a city, I don't _need_ to swim!"

"Ooh..."

Sasuke turned to glare at him. "You dare tell anyone..."

"It's okay, I wouldn't do that," said Naruto hastily. "Look, not that I think you will, but if you _were_ to fall in it'd be okay 'cause I'd jump in and save you. I'm a brilliant swimmer!"

Sasuke's eyes flickered back to the river which crashed rapidly over smooth rocks beneath them. He looked torn. "You would?" he asked in a small voice.

"Without thinking for even a second."

"You never think," jibed Sasuke, recovering a little of his usual attitude.

"I wouldn't _need_ to think," retorted Naruto. "Now come on, everyone's waiting for us."

Sasuke grunted and stepped cautiously out onto the wooden planks, Naruto following close behind him. They crossed slowly and thankfully without incident. The forest path up to the Hyuuga house was covered in a bouncy blanket of pine needles. The rain had eased off leaving everything smelling wonderfully fresh. They soon reached their destination to see a large home stretching over the floor of a clearing which allowed for a patch of blue sky above them. Around the house, between the trees and connected by winding paths were numberous small cabins. It certainly was a beautiful place and Naruto found the setting surreal in the extreme. To think this was where he'd be living for the next few months was overwhelming.

**-0-**

For Sasuke, however, the beauty of the Hyuuga's home was dulled by the fact that it was the _Hyuuga's_ home. Sasuke hadn't had a home since the death of his entire family and being here only reminded him of how the Uchiha clan had once lived together. Some coming and going but always returning to the family home as Hinata and Neji were doing now. At least at the coven he was with other people who didn't have homes for various reasons.

As they walked into the courtyard in front of the grand home a small girl with hair like Neji's came running down the front steps. She launched herself happily into Hinata's arms before turning to Neji for a hug as well.

"You're looking well, Hanabi-chan," he said politely.

"You too Neji-kun," she said with a bright smile. "Tenzou-san, my father is waiting for you in the meeting room to discuss your mission in town." Tenzou thanked her and hurried off to meet the head of the Hyuuga household. "Well that leaves Uchiha-san and Uzumaki-san and of course Shikamaru-kun."

Sasuke didn't understand how she knew who was who but thought perhaps his appearance had given him away; all the Uchiha had pale skin, dark eyes and black hair, just as her pale grey eyes gave her away as a Hyuuga. Still he found her presuming manner rather detering.

"Otou-sama(1) said to send Tenzou straight to him but he wishes to speak to you, Neji-kun before dinner. Still, that leaves you plenty of time to settle in, you and aneki(2) will be taking your original rooms in the main house?"

"Yes," said Hinata. "Does otou-sama want to see m-me as well."

"Not until dinner I think. Anyway, I'm to show these two to their cabins."

"What about Shikamaru?" asked Neji seeming surprised at the exclusion of his boyfriend.

Hanabi gave him a sweet smile, "Did you not want to share your room?"

"Well yes but... Hiashi-sama has always insisted on seperate rooms..."

"Not that that ever stopped us," muttered Shikamaru.

She smiled slyly at them, "It seems he's finally warmed to the idea, though knowing him I wouldn't push it."

Hanabi beckoned for Naruto and Sasuke to follow her and together they made their way along one of the many paths winding between the trees here. It was only a short distance to the first cabin which she gave to Naruto. She told them both about the bell which rang at meal times and the bell which rang for clan meetings. There was also an emergency alarm which could be activated in a similar way to the gate, though she assured them it hadn't been needed in her lifetime.

As Sasuke walked on with Hinata's sister she spoke again. "It's quite a surprise to have you staying here, Uchiha-san. I got the impression Uchiha's were never particurly fond of the Hyuuga clan."

"I apprieciate your hospitality but please don't misunderstand; I'm not here out of choice. My pupil is here and we need to continue his training."

"Naturally. You are welcome to use the training grounds behind the main house and you might not have noticed but there's an assault course running around the border of the cabins."

"I had noticed," said Sasuke immediatly, wanting to appear adept.

She smiled in a way that made Sasuke suspect his lie had been detected. "I'm surprised, it is well hidden after all. But I guess I should expect such things from an Uchiha." Her tone was mocking and Sasuke fought the blush rising on his cheeks.

The cabin was small but neat and clean. The kitchen had a little fridge and sink but no stove as they weren't expected to cook their own meals. There was a sofa and bookshelf in one corner, room for a large bedroll in the other and a tiny bathroom with a shower. Hanabi pointed out the bells before leaving. He was glad to be alone again, the girl was strange; she gave off the impression of someone who knew far too much for her age and it made Sasuke uncomfortable. He heaved a heavy sigh and unpacked his bag. There was no hoping that they would be able to leave soon but at least he had his own quarters and a measure of privacy.

Outside the back door of the cabin was an area of decking with a swing-seat hanging from the roof. Sasuke sat for a moment in the peace of the forest. He took a deep lungful of air, breathing in the tangy scent of pine sap which he found oddly pleasant. It was dark and cool and here, by his private cabin, and he could almost pretend that this wasn't the Evergreen Forest of the Hyuuga clan but his own space in this mad world. Memories of the Uchiha estate by the sea flowed through his mind as he let his eyes close. The high cliffs, the wide horizon and the salty air gave such an illusion of freedom when in fact they had been just as hidden as the Hyuuga's were in this deep forest. Sasuke opened his eyes.

"No, I'm a long way from home."

Sasuke glanced at the time on his phone. As he understood it they would be expected to sleep at night whilst they were here which meant dinner would be soon. Still he had enough time for a shower before then.

Sure enough the dinner bell rang just as he was stepping out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist and went in search of clean clothes. He felt much fresher after his shower; travelling always left him feeling sleepy and unclean. Sasuke was just pulling on his trousers when a familiar voice calling his name announced Naruto's arrival.

"Hai hai, I'm just getting ready," said Sasuke distractedly as he picked out a new shirt.

"I hope they have lots of food, I'm starved!" said Naruto, rubbing his flat stomach.

Sasuke was just about to pull his shirt on when Naruto stopped him. "What are you wearing?" he asked curiously, cocking his head to the side.

"Er... clothes?"

Sasuke pulled his shirt over his head but as he reappeared Naruto stepped closer. "No, this," he said pulling Sasuke's necklace out of his shirt.

Sasuke let him examine the pendant, trying not to focus on how close Naruto was standing. He could almost feel the heat of Naruto's body as the new hunter examined his necklace. The increased awareness he was experiencing confused him so Sasuke buried it, concentrating hard on his own pendant. Naruto ran his fingers along the strong chain and turned the heavy silver pentacle over gently touching the shimmering crystal set in the middle. It was a Kiyo crystal of course, the pendant was designed so that the crystal emerged from both sides of the silver star resting directly on your skin and charging itself continuously making it a powerfully protective talisman.

"This is the symbol that was on the gate..."

"The symbol of a Hunter," agreed Sasuke quietly.

"Does everyone have these?" Sasuke nodded. "And you wear them all the time?" Another nod. "Why don't I have one?"

"Because you're not a fully fledged Hunter yet. When your training here is finished you will take part in an initiation ceremony and then... you will wear our mark."

"I'll be a real Hunter."

Sasuke nodded. He recognised from Naruto's tone that the idea of truly becoming part of the Hunt was an attractive prospect. He had been the same himself; eager to be part of something... to belong.

* * *

**A/N:**

(1) 'Otou-sama' means father, it's quite a polite form

(2) 'Aneki' means older sister, it's the sister version of aniki (older brother)

Hope it was good, don't forget to review please!

-Yasu


	15. Training Hard

**A/N: **Here we go again, training time!

* * *

At dinner on that first night Hiashi had informed Naruto that he would have one day of rest to recover from reverting to normal sleeping patterns before training began. Naruto and Sasuke had therefore spent yesterday competing. Sasuke had beaten Naruto rather spectacularly in a sparring match only to be outrun on their assault course challenge. Now they both stood in the fighting grounds at the back of the main Hyuuga house. Sasuke had been appalled when Hiashi had assumed that he would be taking lessons with Neji. Neji himself had also been shocked at this arrangement. But Hiashi, with the advantage of being the head of the last remaining, and therefore highly important, hunter clan in Japan, had persuaded them that it would be beneficial for Sasuke to learn some of Neji's methods of dispelling magick. He was to learn how to direct his lightening into the ground in a way that wouldn't destroy anything. Naruto thought Sasuke may as well have a thundercloud hovering over his head at the moment and quite expected to see Sasuke conjure one, or at least some lightening, if anyone tried to teach him anything.

But when Neji arrived to take Sasuke to where they'd be training Naruto was surprised at how easily he went. Sasuke had adopted an attitude of frosty politeness that he pulled of perfectly.

"Ah Naruto, here already I see. Very good, I can't stand people who arrive late."

It was precisely 8 O'clock in the morning and Hyuuga Hiashi had just rounded the corner. He stood at an impressive height in a traditional kimono. Naruto had come dressed for sparring practice and was now a little confused.

"You probably don't know very much about my power but I can assure you it is highly efficient and very useful for training young hunters such as yourself. Perhaps a demonstration then?"

"Hello Naruto!"

Naruto spun around to find Sakura running towards him, she gave him a friendly hug and beamed at him.

"Hi Sakura-chan, I didn't know you were going to be here."

"Don't be silly," she said brightly, "I'm not here at all."

"Eh?"

"She's an illusion," provided Hiashi.

"Wow, really?" The illusion of Sakura nodded happily. "But she's feels real!" he marvelled poking her to be certain.

"And that's what makes them a valuable training tool. I have had many students from the Konoha City coven come to this place to receive my training."

Hiashi gestured to the middle of the yard and a muscular man appeared. Dressed all in black, his head was shaven to reveal tribal tattoos and sunglasses blocked out his eyes. He was an intimidating image. The Hyuuga leader nodded to Sakura and she reached into a bag that she always wore attached to her belt. As soon as she had donned a vicious pair of silver knuckles, one with a spike on the outer end and the other with a glinting Kiyo crystal, he waved her forward. Sakura broke into a run charging at the illusion of the demon. She jumped straight into action delivering strong and dangerous blows which he returned, pulling out a jagged dagger. As he struck downwards she deflected the blade with one of her knuckles and jumped back for a second. In the moment she stood apart from him her image flickered like a TV with bad signal.

When the image returned Ino stood against the demon instead. She jumped, clicking her boots together in midair and silver blades clicked out of the toes. Ino also had her own weapon in hand; a jouhyou(1). The weighted dart flew through the air on the end of its strong rope but the demon deflected it easily. As she moved in closer he had to be careful not to get caught in the rope. But Ino was clever with her flexible weapon and the rope soon wrapped around his ankles, tightening and bringing him face first to the ground. He tried to get up but she stopped him by kneeling on his back and hitting him hard on the sensitive underside of the skull with her crystal. His glasses had gone flying on impact and Naruto could see the angry light in his red eyes die as he lay face down in the dust.

Naruto was still staring at the ground when the illusion disappeared.

"Do you think you're ready to go up against a demon yet?" asked Hiashi indifferently.

Naruto gulped, he wasn't sure he could fight a demon yet and these may only be illusions but they were solid enough to hug so they were probably solid enough to hurt him. But Naruto wasn't afraid of getting hurt.

"Yeah, okay."

Hiashi looked at him for a long moment. "Okay, we'll start off with something easy," he said as though Naruto had answered negatively. "A werewolf should do the trick, but a new wolf; they're not as physically strong when they're new to transforming."

This was how Naruto came face to face with his first ever werewolf.

**-0-**

Meanwhile Sasuke followed Neji through the forest up an increasingly steep slope. They walked beside the river which here cut a sharp path down into the valley of uniform pine. As they climbed Sasuke noticed the trees were no longer all the same; here the old umbrella pine trees were broken up by many smaller trees whose leaves were beginning to brown, though they were not yet the fiery hues of autumn. It was easier to breath here out of the quiet and rather claustrophobic confines of the deep valley. Sasuke didn't understand why they couldn't practice Neji's methods at the main house where Naruto was training but he wasn't about to ask and since he preferred it up here he wasn't going to complain either.

Eventually they parted from the river and within five minutes they'd reached the banks of an expansive lake. Its glassy surface stretched far away, dark and undoubtedly cold. To the right they could see the river they had been following running out of the lake over smooth boulders, beside it a wide stony bank seemed unusually flat. Turning to the left Sasuke could see where the river joined the lake from the high mountain peaks; a mossy cliff loomed over this western end, its cold grey stone adorned by showers of ivy and two wide waterfalls which rushed over the edge into the lake.

"This is Mamizu Lake, you might have heard of it?"

"I have," Sasuke confirmed.

So this was Mamizu Lake, or the Lake of Pure Water as it was known. This was the place new Hunters had been initiated for hundreds of years gone by. The flat ground on it's eastern edge would of course be where the seasonal celebrations took place. Sasuke used his enhanced eyesight to scan the edges of the lake. Sure enough, atop the western cliff an ancient yew tree stood sentinel. That was the altar where the rites of death were performed and also where hunters made promises to their bonded. Sasuke looked away, he would think about that closer to the time.

"Why do we need to train here?"

"We don't, but I thought it might help. Come," Neji walked out onto the wooden dock that sat on this side of the lake. Several rowing boats sat in the still water tied to the small pier. "You've seen before how I can dispel energies into the ground and obviously that is our final aim for you. But since you're trying to dispel electricity I thought it might be easier to start by directing it into an electrical conductor. Besides, you can't really damage water."

"Your logic is flawed; I can damage you and this dock," Sasuke pointed out.

"You can't damage me and the dock is less valuable than most things down at the main house," Neji replied with the calm confidence that Sasuke detested for its patronizing quality.

Sasuke was sorely tempted to show Neji just how much he could damage him but remembering he was a guest he quashed the urge. Besides these 'lessons', for Sasuke loathed to call them such, might be useful. He doubted they would be but you never knew for sure until you'd wasted a significant amount of time trying.

"Take off your shoes and socks and sit on the end of the dock," instructed Neji. "You're going to build up a small amount of electricity and then dip your feet in the water and realise it into the lake."

Sasuke did as he was told, feeling rather like a child. He let a small amount of magick flow from his veins to the outside of his body so that the pale blue currents danced over the skin of his legs. Sasuke was careful to keep the electricity centred around his lower legs. He lowered his feet closer to the surface of the lake but just before they connected a bolt of lightening jumped from his feet to the water. The force of it threw him backwards and Sasuke's head slammed into the wooden decking.

"That's the destructive aspect of your power preventing you from safely discharging your magick. You need to exercise a great amount of control to keep your magick inside your body until your feet touch the water. The further the lightening jumps the more damage it's going to cause."

Sasuke bristled at Neji's knowledgeable tone and pulled himself back into a sitting position. This was going to be a long day.

**-0-**

By the time Sasuke returned to his cabin night was drawing in. Neji had left the lake at dinner time but Sasuke had stayed behind out of a stubborn need to master the technique as soon as possible. He had been slammed backwards into that damned dock more times than he cared to remember and quite wished Neji had left sooner to spare him the embarrassment of failing. Finally, fatigue and hunger drove him back to his temporary home. He had skirted around the main house, not wishing to be seen so worn out and defeated.

But in the end he was not even able to crawl into bed without being confronted.

"Why weren't you at dinner?" Naruto was sprawled on his sofa.

"Why are you in here?"

"Because the door was unlocked."

"The doors don't lock."

"I know," replied Naruto with a cheeky grin.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and headed for the bathroom, too tired to forcibly remove Naruto from his supposedly private cabin. He took a leisurely long shower hoping that his visitor would take that as his cue to leave. When he returned Naruto was still there but he had made them a pot of tea. Apparently he didn't intend to leave just yet. Sasuke ignored the tea and pulled his bedroll from the cupboard. He switched the lights off, lay down, pulled up the covers and slipped his tantou underneath the pillow. Turning away from Naruto he curled up and closed his eyes.

The silence in the dark cabin was broken by the soft padding of slow footsteps. Sasuke relaxed assuming Naruto was finally leaving. But a second later he supposed he should have known better. Someone sat down on the bedroll beside him. Sasuke flipped over to find Naruto, cross-legged and sipping his tea in a nonchalant manner. He sat up abruptly and Naruto pushed a cup of tea into Sasuke's hands.

Sasuke scowled. "Why are you still here?"

"I brought you something," he said bluntly, throwing a package of foil wrapping into Sasuke's lap. "Since you missed dinner."

There was no reply but Naruto didn't seem to expect it. Sasuke was surprised that Naruto had considered him and also rather touched though he would die before admitting such a thing. He looked sideways at Naruto sitting beside him on his bedroll sipping his tea. Like this he made quite pleasant company and Sasuke found himself enjoying it though he doubted the silence would last for long. He thought that perhaps this was what it was like to have a real friend. Someone he didn't grudge having around, someone who would show kindness in a way that made Sasuke want to return it. Perhaps even a best friend. It was easy to keep Naruto's company and at times like this Sasuke was reminded of his brother. Naruto was of course nothing like Itachi but yet Sasuke hadn't found himself enjoying the company of another person since his brother had died.

Sasuke sighed; maybe he had been too cruel to Naruto? He now sat in silence and Sasuke felt a twinge of guilt. He supposed it wouldn't kill him to indulge Naruto.

"How was your training?"

A flicker of surprise registered on Naruto's face before his mouth tilted into a friendly smile. "It was awesome! Hiashi's illusions are so cool. I saw Sakura and Ino fighting this badass demon guy and then I fought a werewolf!"

"How did you fare?"

"Well... not very well. I only managed a few decent hits even though I think Hiashi was going easy on me." Naruto looked at his tea, downcast and brooding on his defeat.

Sasuke sighed; it was not in his character to comfort people but he supposed from a teacher's point of view, pupils sometimes needed reassurance. "You just need practice. I can help you with that as well. Did you use a clone?"

"No I couldn't focus while he was attacking," said Naruto quietly.

"You'll learn. Nobody becomes a hunter over night."

"Yeah I suppose. It's just..." he trailed off, looking doubtful.

"What?"

"I said I'd beat you didn't I?" Sasuke nodded, remembering. "Well I guess I just didn't realise how much catching up I had to do." Naruto gave a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head.

Sasuke was shocked and flattered. It was unlike Naruto to admit weakness; he could be as stubborn as Sasuke when it came to such matters. In fact he thought this was probably one of most civil conversations they'd ever had; it would usually have evolved into arguing by now.

"Of course it will take a while to catch up," Naruto opened his mouth to comment on how egotistical he sounded but Sasuke cut him off. "I was brought up as a hunter. Trained from a very young age to fight and kill." Sasuke gave a slightly bitter chuckle, "You couldn't sleep properly in my house for fear of surprise attacks."

"Wasn't the house protected very well?"

Sasuke laughed, "I didn't fear attacks from demons; otou-san used to call it 'surprise training'."

Blue eyes widened in surprise, "Isn't that a little... extreme?"

Sasuke shrugged. "It worked," he said lightly.

"You're not going to start doing that to me are you?" Naruto asked warily.

"No, but if you don't already keep your dagger under your pillow you should get into the habit. It's a good practice to get into for later life."

Naruto looked a little alarmed but Sasuke's expression was serious. Naruto shifted nervously and winced.

"In pain?" asked Sasuke.

"Yeah," said Naruto, glad for a change of subject. "Werewolves are really strong."

"His illusions are solid?" Sasuke was curious about the Hyuuga's power; he had heard about it of course but had never had any direct contact with the illusions.

"Yeah."

"That's strange..."

"Why is it strange?"

"An illusion should be just that; an illusion. In other words they shouldn't be able to hurt you. Are you sure they're really solid?"

"They certainly feel solid."

"Maybe they do but that doesn't mean they are." Naruto looked confused so Sasuke explained. "The trick could be that they make you _think_ they're hurting you. The test will be if you develop any bruises."

"And if I don't?"

"Then you'll be able to block out the pain by using higher thinking."

"Not following."

"Higher thinking; if you think you can't feel it then you can't. It's like countering the illusion's effect on you. Obviously it'll take some mastering but you have time. Until you can block out the effect of the blows you'll just have to block the blows."

"Er... right. I think I get it," said Naruto, looking highly doubtful of his ability to master such a thing.

"Good. Now thank you for the dinner but I'd really like to get some sleep, I used rather a lot of magick today."

Naruto smiled at the brisk thank you and nodded. He got up and dropped their mugs in the sink. "I'll see you at breakfast. Sleep well."

And for once Sasuke felt he might do just that.

* * *

**A/N:**

(1)Jouhyou: A flexible martial arts weapon consisting of a long rope with a metal dart attached to the end. If you watched the last filler arc before shippuuden it's the weapon Gaara's student uses.

Hope it was okay... don't worry it'll speed up soon, I don't plan on including months of training -_-;

Review to make me happy!

-Yasu


	16. The Real Illusion

**A/N:** Chapter named in honor of Kishi's habit of calling chapters 'The Real This' and 'The Real That' because you all thought you heard the bombshell but ninja lie and so on... -_-;

[/rant]

* * *

Naruto climbed quickly up the forest path leading to Sasuke's cabin. He was tired and aching but triumphant and ready to boast. His body thrummed with raw adrenaline left over from his achievement and he was eager to tell Sasuke, whose approval he now sought without completely realising it. He had finally mastered holding two clones for longer than a few seconds and as a test had run the entire assault course without merging again. It had taken many tries which had demanded great stamina as well as patience. He was on top of the world when he had arrived back at the Hyuuga house to have Hinata present him with the shopping she had got for him and Sasuke. She'd offered to pick up anything they wanted so he now had a healthy supply of ramen.

When Naruto reached Sasuke's cabin he found the Uchiha sitting comfortably in his swing seat with a heavy book in his lap. He barely glanced up as Naruto threw himself down on the decking at the back of the cabin. Sasuke had taken to reading in this spot over the past weeks and he now seemed to assume that Naruto would visit when his training was finished for the day and they would discuss his regular developments. Of course Sasuke was also taking lessons of a kind but his were shorter and less frequent, he needed only minimal input from Neji and worked at the new technique alone for the majority of the time.

"Did you manage it?" asked Sasuke casually.

Naruto beamed, "Of course I did!"

"I thought so."

"You... did?"

"Sound travels well in the forest; I could hear you celebrating from here."

Naruto gave an awkward laugh, raising a hand to the back of his neck. "Well I was happy."

"As you should be," mused Sasuke turning a page carefully.

"What are you reading?" asked Naruto peering at the yellowing pages filled with faded handwriting.

"Hmm? Oh, Neji was kind enough to allow me somewhat limited access to the Hyuuga family library."

"That was good of him. Find anything interesting?"

Sasuke nodded and lifted the book so that Naruto could read the title written in faded gold lettering on the book's worn leather cover. Naruto frowned as he struggled to read it and Sasuke took pity on him.

"It says: _A Documentation Of The Unusual Cases Of Magickal Merging._"

"Riiight... and that is?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "It's exactly what the title says. A scholar, Hyuuga Hachirou, from a long time ago started collecting any information he could find of cases where two hunters were able to merge their powers or even just tried to do it because of course most die trying or at least get horribly injured. That's why hunters don't ever attempt it. It usually only happens when powers collide and react because that tends to leave the hunters with some physical impairment which they aim to set right again. The most recent case was added by Hiashi no doubt. The author takes a very critical view of the hunters' actions."

"What did he write in the book?"

"The account of the successful merging of Hinata and Neji's powers."

"Their powers have merged?"

"Yes, that's why they are almost the same. You've probably heard about the distance they can see when they 'combine' their powers."

Naruto nodded, he had indeed heard that Hinata and Neji could see the entire city when they worked together. Sasuke flicked to the end of the book where the ink wasn't faded and ran a finger down the lines of neat calligraphy.

"It says in here that at the age of fifteen Hinata's power emerged whilst in the company of her cousin Neji. She found she could see his power and unconsciously tried to make magickal contact. Of course she wouldn't have understood what she was doing. 'Neji's own power was yet to emerge but we believe that it must have been close to surfacing because the tiny pull of Hinata's magick was enough to wake his and as he reached to her to steady himself he drew her magick into himself. Both fell unconscious and when they woke they were equally blinded'."

"They _were_ blind? But how is it that they can see now?"

"Because they worked to merge their powers. Their options were either to attempt the dangerous process of merging or accept their blindness and never become real hunters. It's quite a rebellious story actually. It says, 'adults responsible for the trainee hunters would not allow them to continue trying to merge their powers after initial attempts left Hinata weak and Neji in great pain'. I bet that 'adult' was Hiashi himself. But apparently they defied him, took a binding oath in secret so that he couldn't interfere and eventually succeeded in merging their powers and regaining their eyesight. Fascinating, eh? Who knew the Hyuuga family had such drama hidden on dusty old library shelves."

Naruto nodded along. Sasuke seemed extremely pleased to find that even the great Hyuuga family had their own scandals. Naruto knew of course that he had never forgiven the Hyuuga clan for surviving this long when a family as great as the Uchihas had perished at the hands of one of their own. He hoped that Sasuke would one day put the past behind him, but he knew realistically that day was a long way in the future. Something stopped Sasuke moving on; something still tied him to his family. Naruto thought that perhaps if they were to visit his old family home that Sasuke might be able to put his past demons to rest. But until that time, the last Uchiha alone, bore the combined enmity and dislike that the fallen members of his clan had harboured for the Hyuugas.

"Hinata got our shopping," said Naruto, suddenly remembering. He leapt up to retrieve the bag he had dropped in the kitchen. "You could have chosen any number of sweet yummy things and you chose a _vegetable_. You're so weird."

"The tomato is a fruit," replied Sasuke disdainfully as he bit into one of them, being careful not to get any of the juice on the Hyuuga's book.

"If you say so. But Hinata bought us both an extra treat anyway. Look, Pocky!" Naruto brandished the boxes at Sasuke who wrinkled his nose. "You can have the chocolate one; I like the strawberry better."

"You can eat them both, I don't eat sweets."

"Eh? Wow... what are you one of those 'I will not pollute my body with additives and crap' people?"

"Hn, that too but really, I just don't like sweets. They're sickly."

Naruto stuck out his tongue and then put several sticks of pocky into his mouth at once and leant back to enjoy the balmy summer evening. Although the thick forest canopy kept them shaded throughout the day it was still fairly warm at this time of the year. He watched Sasuke hold his tomato between two fingers and nibble distractedly at it as he read. Naruto rolled his eyes at his finicky behaviour. He tried to lie still but even after a day of gruelling exercise he couldn't stop fidgeting. With a sigh Naruto flipped himself around, grabbing one of the cushions from the swing seat to put under his head, he lay down, propping his bare feet on the seat. This earnt him a scowl from Sasuke, but he didn't say anything, yet.

A sudden thought occurred to Naruto. "Did you know," he began in a sing-song voice, "That tomatoes are an aphrodisiac?"

Sasuke raised a defined eyebrow but didn't answer. He knew Naruto's game. It happened whenever he was bored or when Sasuke was trying to concentrate on something. How long would it be before Sasuke gave in to conversation?

Naruto wriggled his toes next to Sasuke and the corner of his mouth twitched before he spoke again. "Hope you don't go getting all horny on me, Sasuke. Hmm now that would be interesting... a horny Sasuke. All over _me_. Wanton. Needy. Just begging to be-"

"You smell."

"Excuse me?" asked Naruto, looking up in surprise at the blunt remark and completely forgetting his train of thought. He had been quite prepared to go into detail but suddenly his vivid imagination wasn't required.

"You smell," reiterated Sasuke.

Naruto sat up and sniffed himself. "Well I have been running that assault course all afternoon."

"Go and take a shower before dinner," said Sasuke, refusing to look at him.

"Join me?"

**-0-**

Sasuke's head snapped up. "What?"

"Hinata said the bathhouse is quite beautiful, she said we're welcome to use the baths there any time. And I know where it is; on the opposite side of the house from the training grounds."

If Naruto realised how intimate his invitation had sounded he gave no indication. Sasuke found himself agreeing simply to reassure himself that it had been innocent.

The bathhouse was indeed beautiful though not exactly what Sasuke would have chosen. The Hyuuga's idea of lavish decoration was ornate sculptures and pastel colours, usually of lilac, light blue and beige. It was not to Sasuke's taste. The Uchiha homes were of a sturdy build to withstand the storms which blew in off the sea. Sasuke could picture the huge grey stone establishment atop a high cliff. The Hyuuga home was so different, traditionally Japanese, with wooden decking and rice paper walls. Everything here was flimsy and delicate, unlike the Uchiha communal hall which had an interior of dark wooden panelling and either smooth stone floors or plush crimson carpets. He could remember clearly the roaring fires in stone grates and the inherent feeling of old age impressed upon you when you stepped through it's ancient oak doors. The grounding feeling of watching a clear sunrise in the the fortifying sea air. Now surrounded by the gleaming white tiles of the bathhouse shower room Sasuke missed his own home more than ever.

After showering Sasuke went to join Naruto. The bath was quite a sight, more like a pool than a bath with the stone likeness of a knotted old oak tree filling one end and stretching it's branches like pillars to the ceiling. The ceiling itself was decorated with the carvings of the tree's upper most branches and mosaic tiles depicted the night sky. Sasuke read the Hyuuga's motto and rolled his eyes 'Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one', it seemed awfully 2D to simply advise 'care', it was never that easy, besides the motto made no mention of power(1). Water cascaded from jets hidden in the cradle of the tree's branches and ran down its mighty trunk where the quote was inscribed in letters of silver. Sasuke wrinkled his nose; the steam wafting from the huge bath smelled faintly of lavender. It was so typically Hyuuga.

"Beautiful doesn't really do it justice does it?"

Naruto floated on his back in the middle of the bath, staring up at the mosaic. Sasuke didn't answer. It was beautiful but at the same time ridiculous. Who really needed this much grandeur? He slipped into the water feeling the heat engulf him. Sasuke rolled his shoulders and settled himself on an underwater ledge by the side. The hot water loosened his muscles and he decided that it was pleasant despite the flowery scent and over the top decoration.

"Ne, Sasuke?" called Naruto, drifting slowly to the edge where Sasuke wallowed.

Sasuke hummed but didn't bother to open his eyes. He anticipated another menial question. Naruto seemed very fond of quizzing him on every ordinary subject he could think of. He supposed the guy was just making the most of someone who could and would (with a bit of coaxing) answer his questions. Naruto can't have had someone like Sasuke, who was a continuous presence, very often in his life.

"What tree is that?"

Sasuke resisted opening his eyes just to roll them, he could hardly believe that a conversation about trees was about to take place. "Oak," he answered simply hoping in vain to see the end of the conversation soon if he gave straight answers.

"How do you know?"

Sasuke resisted the urge to say 'it looks like one'. "Shape of the leaves and it has acorns," He muttered sleepily.

"Ah. But how do you know about trees? I mean you live in the city like me; despite it's name Konoha isn't exactly known for its parks."

"I read, remember? Besides I didn't always live in the city. Not that the moorland really has many trees, mostly gorse and heather actually."

"Mmm I've been thinking about that. If it's alright with you I'd like to visit your home sometime."

Sasuke looked up. Naruto was watching his reaction. "There's not much to see. It's deserted, nothing but a graveyard."

"I'd still like to see it," said Naruto seemingly relieved he hadn't been snapped at. "See where you grew up and pay my respects to your family."

Sasuke felt rather taken aback at this. "You never even knew them."

"I know you though."

Naruto hovered in the water before him, perfectly at ease with the strange turn their conversation had taken. Sasuke studied him, Naruto's blue eyes were honest, his reasons genuine. Sasuke took a moment to process the idea. "Okay," he said tentatively. "If Tsunade will allow it I'll take you to my home by the sea."

"Thank you." Naruto's revered tone told Sasuke that he knew what he was asking. "So why do you think they chose an oak tree?" asked Naruto, switching abruptly back to their previous topic and looking up at the tree that towered over them.

"It's a holy tree," provided Sasuke, now glad for this simpler subject. "You've probably seen the carvings and such around the house, that wooden man made of oak leaves and the fountain of the woman holding a moon?" Naruto nodded. "Well they're not really Japanese are they? And neither are the Hyuuga's. Tree lore is something this clan embrace in it's entirety since they live in a forest but also because their British ancestors placed great store in the symbolism of nature."

"The Hyuuga clan is from Britain?"

"Yeah. Strange, huh? I was surprised when I found out, but it was in that book, just a brief mention so I did some checks and turns out they moved here a long time ago. I think they still have a lot of distant relatives over there and I know Neji originally lived there. Explains their silly 'traditional' cloaks. I always wondered how that came about but now it all adds up. They're a strange mixture of western and eastern tradition, lore and blood."

Sasuke knew what that meant. With the fall of his family the last truly Japanese hunter clan had been abolished. He had been shocked to find out though it hadn't really been any kind of secret. Still he found it disconcerting that Japan no longer had any hunter clans of their own. Every hunter in Japan was merely a remnant of a glorified past. It was surely a bad omen. The enemy must be increasing in strength to have achieved it. Japan was weak. The matter was rarely spoken of but Sasuke had long felt that the balance in power between good and evil couldn't stay as it was; standing on a knife edge. Sooner or later it must tip in one direction and the demons had the advantage; evil magick was the most seductive of the two.

"What is it, Sasuke?"

"Huh?"

Sasuke looked up. He had become distracted and wasn't sure how long he had been immersed in dark thoughts.

"You do that sometimes you know; suddenly go all serious and silent. Won't you tell me what bothers you?"

Sasuke looked at him long and hard. Those clear blue eyes, trusting and open. The smooth skin of his torso, not yet marred by the scar tissue he was sure to gain. Naruto was new to this world and knew so little of their position. For him the Hunt was honourable, brave and strong. He had not yet become disillusioned as Sasuke was now. Sasuke shook his head distractedly. He found he couldn't bear to tell this person the truth of their situation, not when that heart held so much hope.

Finished bathing, Sasuke stood to leave.

"It's nothing, Naruto."

When had he become so soft? Sasuke hurried from the bathhouse; he needed to be alone, far away from Naruto. He had never before cared to spare another's feelings. Sasuke didn't believe that truths should be hidden, no matter how painful and frightening they might be. He broke into a run, uphill, through the trees as far away as he could get. It was this place, it didn't feel right here, he wasn't on Uchiha ground anymore... he wasn't even on neutral ground. He didn't feel like himself anymore. It was as though he was changing without any control over the change. If there was one thing Sasuke needed, it was control.

He found isolation in the place he returned to most days, the place he was becoming familiar with and beginning to recognise as his own: the dock on the lake. The wood creaked beneath his bare feet and Sasuke realised he'd left his shoes at the bathhouse along with his coat and weapons. Although he was otherwise clothed Sasuke felt suddenly naked. He hadn't been unarmed since he was a small boy. He toyed with the idea of returning to collect his weapons but decided against it. He was a hunter; he had magick. Besides he was on Hyuuga territory and much as he disliked the Hyuugas he knew they guarded their borders well.

The water of the lake was cool and dark as Sasuke ran his bare feet through it. He sat on the end of the dock, watching as the ripples he made grew and then died away. It was such a lonely setting but Sasuke found it calmed him. The doubts and worries that had grown as the ripples did were fading away, his mind becoming a lake of soothing darkness. Realisation was washing over him. He had feared it in silence for long years; that the world of hunters would fall as his own world had done. What hope was there now? What strength was left in Japan to fight evils that didn't merely destroy the body but which ate at your very soul?

"Why are you always alone?"

Sasuke stiffened, his feet stopping their childish paddling. He took a deep breath and stood, slowly turning to face the one who saw none of this despair. Naruto stood firmly on the shore while Sasuke swayed at the end of the dock, suddenly unsteady. He didn't answer Naruto's question because the words wouldn't come. Behind Naruto two clones came running through the forest to reconnect but he took no notice. Only the two of them stood here now, alone in this desolate world and together.

Naruto nodded to himself when it became apparent there was no answer. Walking down the dock he unfolded Sasuke's coat and swung it around the other man's shoulders pulling it closed at the front. Sasuke felt a shiver run through him for no apparent reason.

"Sasuke... I can't begin to fathom what goes on in that head of yours and until you feel able to tell me I won't be able to help." Naruto took a depth breath looking down at his hands which still held Sasuke's coat around the man's limp shoulders. "But it doesn't matter; I'll spend as long as it takes trying to help anyway."

Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. What had he done to warrant such kindness? Naruto rested his forehead against Sasuke's hearing the barely audible gasp that followed. Sasuke could feel his heart beat a painfully loud pattern against his chest.

"Why?" he whispered, his eyelids dropping closed as though to shield himself from the answer.

This time it was Naruto who took his time answering. Sasuke felt strong arms encircle his shoulders and let himself become tangled in the firm embrace. When his answer finally came Naruto's voice spoke directly into his ear.

"Who knows?"

Time seemed to stretch endlessly around them as they stood like statues suspended above the lake. Yet time definitely still moved for the sun had now disappeared over the mountains throwing the forest into shadow and staining the snowcaps with brilliant red and orange hues. Naruto pulled away looking up at the mountains far away.

"Happy Birthday," he said softly.

Sasuke looked at him in shock.

"I hope you don't mind, I answered your phone a moment ago when I realised you'd left your coat. Sakura and Ino sang you 'Happy Birthday'," he looked sheepish for a minute until he was sure Sasuke wasn't annoyed. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Sasuke shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I don't even know how they found out, I don't remember ever telling anyone."

Naruto sighed in exasperation. What he didn't know was that the only birthday wishes that had ever meant anything in the past had been his brother's. This was just another day Sasuke had stopped celebrating when his Itachi had pasted into darkness. Yet this struck a new chord with Sasuke. Why did Naruto care?

He looked across at the other man. The high mountain peaks were reflected as his crystalline eyes as he gazed up in wonder. Naruto looked across at him and smiled, a small, happy smile. Sasuke felt his heart perform a somersault and was completely at a loss to explain why that smile made him feel so comfortable, warm even. He smiled in return, just a tiny tilt of the lips but enough that he saw Naruto's eyes widen in surprise.

* * *

(1) The motto is a famous quote by Friedrich Nietzsche

Hmm I hope this wasn't too trivial... or soppy, I wasn't too pleased with it myself.

-Yasu


	17. Trouble Brewing

**A/N:** Well here goes with a little time-skip and in a slightly different setting (don't worry it's back to Naruto and Sasuke in the next chapter!

Warning for a teeny mention of dealing with the Sakura/Ino relationship, no real yuri.

* * *

_Seventy-nine days later in Konoha City..._

"His birthday's on the 10th of October right?"

"Yeah."

"Well technically that's now."

"It's 5 minutes past midnight, somehow I don't think he'd appreciate the birthday call right this second, best wait until morning."

"Maa I guess so."

Sakura rolled over on the sofa, stretching luxuriously. She and Ino were enjoying a rare opportunity to relax. They had been patrolling the streets of Konoha City every night for several weeks. But Sakura knew Ino didn't find time off as fun as she did. Ino quite frankly relished the hunt. Chasing the scum off their streets was challenging and sometimes exciting but Sakura had never really developed Ino's enthusiasm for the hunt. Still there was a lot to be said for Ino's passion which extended to most of her life.

Sakura smiled to herself as she watched Ino sharpen the spikes on her boots. She could simply ask Tenzou to reshape them, he was, after all, in charge of weapons maintenance. But Sakura enjoyed watching the concentration on her lover's beautiful face. Sakura thanked her lucky stars that they had been able to patch things up, it had taken time and a lot of honest talking but they were getting along much better now. She really was thankful. To Sakura, Ino was her world. Unlike Ino, Sakura didn't have a large family of hunters behind her, she only knew her mother's side of the family and none of them had magickal blood. She had never known her father and apparently neither had her mother. Still she rarely visited her mother, the woman was ashamed of her for her hunter identity, something that was completely out of her control. The Hunt was her family now as well as Ino.

Sakura's musings were broken by a buzzer sounding. Her and Ino were the only people in the coven lounge tonight so she stood and walked over to the intercom.

"Yes?"

"Kakashi spotted possible trouble," said Juugo immediately, his voice betraying no further information.

"Inside the club?"

"Yes."

"We'll be right up," said Sakura. Then she turned to Ino, "Kit up."

While Ino pulled on her boots with newly sharpened spikes, Sakura checked her silver knuckles were in her bag and attached it to her belt. They hurried up the dark spiral staircase and burst through the door at the top. Juugo opened the door into the club and pointed them towards a booth in a darkened corner away from the dance floor. Ino took her hand and Sakura let her lead them through the crowds to find Kakashi nursing a beer that he wasn't really drinking. They slid into leather seats opposite him.

"See the man sitting at the bar? Red hair, sunglasses," said Kakashi in a voice only distinguishable over the music because of the way hunter's tuned parts of their hearing out. Only Sakura looked over casually so it wouldn't seem suspicious.

"What are the sunglasses hiding?" she asked.

"I can't be sure but I think I saw red."

"A demon?!" hissed Ino. "How the hell did he get in here? Are our repellent barriers down?"

"No, Tenzou checked."

"Then how?"

"That's what I'd like to find out. I'm going to hypnotise him, take him somewhere quite and 'talk'. when I approach him I need you two to keep an eye out for his partner, if he has one."

They both nodded and watched the tall man walk away. He took a seat at the end of the bar near the entrance to the coven. They saw Kakashi tap him on the shoulder. The man jerked around but when curiously still when he saw Kakashi. Then the short red head stood and walked calmly towards the door to the backroom.

Ino was the first to see it. As soon as his friend had left a blond man who had been leaning against a wall put his drink down and made to follow them. Sakura and Ino immediately jumped up and blocked his path, standing between him and the door through which Kakashi had left with his prey. This man was rather taller than his friend, with long blond hair tied up high on his head and identical sunglasses.

"No entry, staff only," said Ino firmly, waving at the sign on the door reading 'Employees Only'.

"Ah I do apologise, yeah, my friend just went in here by mistake, so I should probably go and fetch him, yeah?" he flicked his hair and gave them a smooth smile.

"No can do. Your friend is being questioned by a member of staff regarding a possible drugs charge," lied Sakura, without batting an eyelid.

"Is that so? 'Cause I happen to know Sasori-dana is dead set against drugs, yeah, he's straight edge see."

"Maybe you don't know him as well as you like to think," Ino suggested.

"Please understand this is merely procedure," added Sakura when his mouth turned into an angry line.

"Perhaps you better leave?" said Ino, pointing at the main exit and giving him a sugary sweet smile.

The blond man snarled this time and stepped up close to Ino to hiss in her ear. "Or _perhaps_ I should just reduce this lousy coven to ashes."

Sakura reacted immediately in the quickest way she could. She grabbed his jewels quite firmly in one hand.

"If you value these," she said giving them a squeeze, "Then you'll leave, right now."

He winced and nodded but Sakura held on for a moment longer while Ino pulled out her phone and took a quick picture of his face. As soon as she released him he turned around and fled, shoving people out of the way. It was a shame they had to meet him in such a crowded place really, they hadn't come across a demon in quite a while, they were rare as they preferred to send their minions to do their dirty work. But thankfully both sides avoided outright conflict, although demons cared little for human lives, everyone feared exposure.

"We'll get his face up on the targets board downstairs," said Ino flipping away her phone. "Do you think we should check on Kakashi?"

As soon as they entered the employees lounge Kakashi pointed them to a draw under the computer desks. "Take care of the car down the street, black, reg: AKA."

Ino quickly collected what they needed and then they both rushed outside, they knew the drill; it had to look like a normal occurrence, no evidence allowed. The car was a sleek model with tinted windows to

match it's paint job. Sakura glanced around before lifting the car up a little so that Ino could slide underneath and install the explosive device. As usual the brake was the trigger. Kakashi was surely busy right this minute firmly instructing this 'Sasori' to drive somewhere quite before using the brake.

There were procedures for this kind of thing, after all without set procedures hunter's wouldn't be able to work together as seamlessly as they did. Everyone knew what to do, it was drilled into them as part of their training.

When they were done they moved away to stand in a dark alleyway. Sure enough Sasori walked out of the club and down the street. He seemed to be in a daze as he started up the car and drove away. Sakura and Ino walked back to Gin no Daiyamondo to find Kakashi watching from the doorway.

"He'll drive to the old industrial estate before detonating it. Tenzou has informed Tsunade of the breach we need to need them."

The three of them made their way down Tsunade's office where she paced angrily. Tenzou stood next to her, looking eager for information.

"What's going on Kakashi?!" she growled, as soon as he appeared. "You better have gotten me answers."

"I did," said Kakashi. "And I got this."

He pulled from an inside pocket a faintly glowing hunter's pendant. Tsunade took it from him quickly and Sakura saw her mouth fall open. Her face fell as she held the old pendant to her chest lovingly.

"Jiraiya," she sobbed.

Kakashi looked intensely sad as well, Jiraiya-sama had been his mentor in his learner years. As his bonded Tsunade could surely feel the dead man's magick in the dying pendant. Sakura bit her lip, this was bad; how had this relic fallen into demon hands?

"That's how he passed through our barriers undetected; he was hiding behind Jiraiya-sama's magick," said Tenzou quietly. "What is the meaning of this?"

"It means they're getting clever. Close the club early. I'm calling a meeting."

Tenzou was sent upstairs to send an email to every phone number on the coven's list of allied hunters and half an hour later most of them had gathered in the arena. Over a hundred hunters were crowded into the cavernous room and more were filtering in from posts across the city but this wasn't even half their actual strength. Sakura knew these were only the hunters most closely associated with the coven, many preferred to work alone or not at all. Tsunade stood in the centre underneath the witchfire brazier. Kakashi was at her side like a very relaxed bodyguard. A meeting like this had never been called in Sakura's hunter lifetime and it was quite a sight. She and Ino stood between a group of burly man who looked like they belonged in a motorcycle gang and a willowy boy with long hair dyed in a rainbow of unnatural colours. As she looked at him from the corner of her eye he glared at her and the colours of his hair began to change rapidly. Sakura looked back at Tsunade quite quickly, taking hold of Ino's hand.

"Listen up everyone!" shouted Tsunade over the general chatter. "We haven't called a meeting like this in a while but I believe recent events have made it necessary to put the hunter community on it's guard."

Tsunade waved Kakashi into the middle and he gave his account of tonight to the gathered people. There were general mutterings at the mention of a demon in the supposed safe-house. But not everyone was worried. The leader of the 'burly men' stepped forward, his stance defiant.

"You called us here to worry over your petty anti-demon barrier? You forget, Tsunade, that not everyone needs this dump to hide in. The Majo Buke(1) do not need to hide, we are strong and guard our territories well."

The arena fell silent in a tense reaction to this challenge of power. Sakura knew the coven was by no means the only hunter organisation in Konoha but it was the largest and therefore held much of the ruling vote. The other groups usually looked to the coven for guidance and protection, they had deep roots here in Konoha and a hand in everything from the Police force to the communications board. But the Majo Buke were also well known, they were indeed a motorcycle gang, but they were also a brotherhood of strong hunters who controlled many bars and red light establishments.

"The point is not that the coven is in danger but that demons are advancing and that is bad news for everyone," said Tsunade firmly. "Kakashi is not the only one with a report to give, so I ask that you exercise some patience and listen. Kiba?"

On the other side of the circle Kiba stepped into the light and lowered the hood of his coat. There were several gasps as the gathered hunters recognised his more wolfish features; the large canines and slitted eyes.

"You! Tsunade, I heard you had made use of this abomination but even I am surprised at your nerve, bringing him here to stand before us!" The outburst was from the motorcyclist again, this time he looked ready for a fight.

Kiba's stance stiffened. "I may be an 'abomination' but running with the wolves makes for good information gathering," he said sharply. "I'm here to tell you that there have been warning signs surfacing everywhere and the wolves are acting strangely. Something is happening that has never been seen before; the wolves are becoming ordered. There have been organised attacks for months now, getting more frequent and there are wolf packs, recently very large ones, all of whom are making moves to 'recruit'."

"Don't all wolves move in packs?" asked a heavily pierced women to the left of Sakura.

"Not werewolves, they're solitary creatures. Or rather, selfish creatures, they don't like to share their prey," Kiba looked rather sick at the mention of prey. "They usually hunt alone to satisfy their savage greed but these packs have different motives. Their attacks are coordinated and although fatalities have become fewer werewolf numbers are rapidly rising out of control."

The leader of the motorcyclists grunted reluctantly. "I'll vouch for that," he said gruffly. "I've lost several of my best hunters in recent weeks, every one of them to werewolf attacks. But only a few nights ago we came across one of them, in a crowd of his new cronies. So what do we do against such savagery?" he asked looking at Kiba to illustrate 'savagery'.

"All we can do is increase our measures against them, we'll all work hard to keep these streets safe. At the same time I'd like everyone to gather as much information as possible. We should all do our best to relay any information collected to as many hunters as we can, everyone needs to know the situation for us to combat it. The coven is here as a place of refuge for anyone who needs it particularly the younger generation who are often most at risk."

The meeting went on for well over an hour with speakers from across the city giving their testimony of the deteriorating position of hunters everywhere. There were more reports of werewolf organisations and attacks. Information concerning the sordid nests of vampires and the places succubi had recently taken to frequenting. There was however little mention of demonic activity, at a time when every evil subspecies in the city seemed intent on multiplying, demons were mysteriously illusive. None of it boded well for the future of the coven. Something was stirring in the underbelly of Konoha City.

* * *

(1) Witch Warriors, could also be taken as Witch 'Military Family', either way impresses their purpose.

**A/N:** Hope you enjoyed. I plan to post the next chapter pretty soon since this one was short.

-Yasu


	18. Fitting In

**A/N:** I didn't take too long did I?

* * *

_One-hundred and fifty-one days later - December 21st_

Hinata gently pulled the long strands of hair away from Neji's face and began weaving them into delicate plaits to keep it out of the way whilst he played. He sat on the floor at her feet, his ceremonial kimono tucked neatly around him to prevent creasing as he lovingly tuned his shamisen(1). They were both dressed in lavish kimonos for tomorrow was the winter solstice, a celebrated time in the hunter world for, it was winter's extreme. This was an important occasion, for the dark powers of the world were at their peak and all hunters banded together in an attempt to combat their effects with bright celebrations. Yet even their best efforts sometimes failed. The winter solstice marked many dark events throughout their history. Neji knew for a fact that Sasuke's family had fallen on the very day they prepared to celebrate.

With his hair plaited Neji stood, smoothing out his kimono. He gathered up their cloaks and helped Hinata put hers on.

"I d-do hope N-Naruto-kun's initiation goes okay," she said quietly.

Neji nodded, he too was apprehensive; it was not usual to welcome new initiates on the darkest day of the year. But Tsunade had been adamant that as soon as he was ready he would take his vows.

"He'll be fine, it's not as though he's shown any demonic tendancies. In fact the initiation of someone so... good, will probably add to the magick of the celebration."

"You're p-probably right, I'm worrying about n-nothing."

"Let's wish him luck anyway," said Neji.

Hinata nodded and reached out to pull Neji's necklace out of his kimono so that it rested on top of the fine fabric. Only for days of celebration did hunters wear the symbol of their alligance proudly on their chests. By the end of the night Naruto would also display this pendant for all to know he fought alongside them.

**-0-**

A lungful of air expelled itself from Sasuke's mouth as he landed hard on the floor, Naruto pinning him down. Naruto let out a bark of triumphant laughter, pleasure at his acheivement gleaming in his eyes. A small smile tilted the corner of Sasuke's mouth; it was fun to fight with an equal. Naruto had come so far in these past months.

"Looks like you're ready," he said relaxing in Naruto's firm hold.

"Of course I'm ready," Naruto replied, a cocky grin on his face.

Naruto didn't even register the sly glint in Sasuke's eyes before the limp body beneath him tensed again. Sasuke threw all his strength into flipping their positions. Naruto's grip had lessened only slightly when Sasuke had relaxed but he still wasn't prepared for the sudden movement; it was his turn to be pressed into the floor. A shiver of excitement ran through him.

Sasuke leaned close, "You weren't ready for that," he panted, a taunting smirk displayed on his flushed features.

Naruto's clear blue eyes seemed to darken for a moment before he leaned up and pressed his lips against Sasuke's. To Sasuke the moment seemed to freeze, he could feel his heart beat an irregular pattern within the confines of his body. Everything faded away; where they were, who they were and what they should be doing.

Naruto pulled away, whispering against his lips, "You weren't ready for that."

But Sasuke was still frozen, his grip on Naruto's wrists almost painfully tight. He stared at the man beneath him who seemed to be trying to judge his reaction. In the tense silence Naruto began to look slightly worried.

"No, I wasn't..." Sasuke admitted after a interminable pause.

Still he didn't give any other indication. Sasuke was having trouble restarting his thoughts. His initial reaction would normally be to consider all possible implications of a situation like this and what the consequences of continuing would be. But he couldn't think. He didn't know what to do; get up and leave or lean closer?

"Sorry. Was that inappropriate?"

Naruto's apprehensive voice jolted Sasuke out of his reverie. He still couldn't think clearly but he knew the answer to that question.

"Yes," he whispered horsely before leaning forward and taking the plunge into a decision that hadn't been fully evaluated.

Like diving into a perfectly still lake and finding yourself in a world where everything outside of your own conscious is distorted, distant and irrelevant. Sasuke now found himself emerced in the sensation of Naruto's mouth over his. His lips tingled with pleasure that ran down his spine like liquid electricity. He ran his hands along Naruto's arms to grasp at the damp material of his vest and Naruto used his free hands to pull his sparring partner closer. Sasuke relished the feel of those strong hands at the small of his back and allowed their kiss to deepen.

Coherent thought was a concept entirely lost on him at this moment. For once Sasuke wasn't thinking. He didn't care about consequences for what did they really matter anyway? This was the only moment that mattered. This person, the only thing he cared about.

**-0-**

Naruto kissed the intoxicating hunter with a feverish passion. Nothing could stop him now. He was on top of the world, his head spinning with giddy desire. Elation flooding his senses. He couldn't imagine wanting for anything more than this perfect moment.

"Ahem."

Sasuke pulled back abruptly and looked up at someone out of Naruto's field of vision. He saw Sasuke's throat move as he swallowed. Then he was rolling away. Naruto was in half a mind to stop him but he was slowly remembering where they were. He turned over and looked up to see Hinata and Neji in their most formal clothes. Hinata was flushed beetroot red but Neji was giving Sasuke a mildly surprised look that Sasuke returned with a glare.

"We came to see if you were getting ready for the evening celebration but obviously you have better things to be doing."

Sasuke gave a stiff nod and brushed past him hurrying around the corner and out of sight. Naruto pulled himself to his feet his heart slowly returning to it's normal pace though still pounding in his ears. Now it beat a different rythm; a nauseating, lurching beat. He'd fucked up; Sasuke regreted it. There was no other explaination for the look he'd seen on Sasuke's face.

Naruto wanted to punch something, release his frustration and annoyance at his own lack of self control. But he didn't, because Neji was still watching him. Hinata had disappeared.

Neji's pale eyes blinked slowly, "Give him some time. Sasuke isn't used to such matters." Naruto's surprise must have shown as Neji smiled knowingly. "We may not get along but that doesn't mean we don't understand each other," he said softly. "Go and get ready, tonight is your night; doubtless you will remember it for the rest of your life."

**-0-**

When Naruto returned to his cabin he found Hanabi waiting for him. She smiled and he was struck once more by how much older she seemed. Hanabi always appeared wise beyond her years and she made Naruto feel a little awkward.

"Your friends from the coven have been arriving all day and Sakura-chan asked me to give you this," she said holding out a shopping bag.

Naruto peered inside and was surprised to find that the package was nothing like the usual clothes Sakura felt the need to buy him. He led Hanabi inside and pulled the kimono out to lay it on the sofa. It was a beautiful burnt orange colour with black swirling patterns running down the sleeves. The cotton was fine and soft as Naruto ran his fingers over it. He took out the matching black hakama and placed them on top of the kimono. Naruto turned to Hanabi, speechless.

"You didn't expect her to let you attend your own initiation without the correct outfit now, did you?"

"This is for tonight?"

"Of course, and all other formal occasions. There should be some geta in there too. I think she wanted to give you the haori in person tonight. You'll probably need it; it's going to be cold tonight even with the bonfire. Anyway the main purpose of my being here was to deliver this." She held out an ornate scroll. "I don't know whether or not you intend to take the binding oath but my father thought you should read the scroll anyway. Even if you don't take it tomorrow you probably will one day."

"The binding oath?" asked Naruto, puzzled as he took the heavy scroll from her.

She paused and looked at him with those pale Hyuuga eyes that made Naruto feel as though he were being x-rayed. "He didn't tell you," she said with certainty. "Hmm this really should have been Sasuke's job. But I suppose it doesn't matter, he probably believes you are not ready to make that decision. Still it would be wise to give you the option..." she spoke as if to herself, almost ignoring Naruto's presence.

"What decision?"

She looked back at him. "The decision to bind yourself to another hunter. Two souls, one promise. Most hunters bind themselves to another at some point in their lives, for security mainly. It's a way of ensuring that someone will always be there to protect them and bring them back should they wander from the correct path. It's a permanant vow so of course it's essential that you are completely decided on your choice. It is usually taken at your age but of course most hunters have had their powers for a few years by now and have already connected with the one who will be their bonded.

"That scroll will explain how the ritual is done and the full repurcusions. You should read it before you go up to the celebration, give yourself time to think it over. The binding oath is always taken at sunrise on one of the 4 main geshi(2). Make sure you're at the lake by sunset for your initiation. Ja ne."

Naruto watched her leave before sitting down on the sofa next to his new kimono. He lay the scroll across his lap and set about reading it.

**-0-**

In the hour approaching sunset Naruto donned his celebration garb. He tied the final knot on his hakama, slipped on his geta and left the cabin. He took the path that led around the edge of the cabin where the assault course lay hidden in the trees rather than walking down to the main house.

The sounds of celebration pierced the still night easily and Naruto could hear the low pounding of drums from as far away as his cabin. As he grew nearer he realised that voices were interspersed with the drums singing in time to the beat. Climbing the steep stretch to the stony lake bank he saw at last the great bonfire built up on the stony bank of the lake. It wasn't lit yet but the impressive pile still drew the eye as it sat directly in the middle of the celebration ground.

Many people milled around the area, more Hunters than Naruto had ever seen before. Tables of food and drink stood sentinal at the edges of the celebration ground before the forest took over and great torches of witch fire created a border. The sky was beginning to darken and soon their light would be needed. Naruto saw many familiar faces, people he had met at the coven but most he didn't know. At these times of year Hunter's from all around gathered together, he knew this, but their numbers still surprised him. The Hyuuga's were easily distinguishable, all had the same pale eyes, though unliked Hinata and Neji they had pupils. But most of the Hunters looked like ordinary people, different from each other in their unique facial features yet most were well built from a lifetime of fighting.

However they all had something in common. Each wore the same pendant displayed proudly over their varying formal garb. Naruto shifted uncomfortably as many pairs of eyes sized him up. He felt suddenly self conscious and glanced around quickly for some people from the coven to integrate himself with. He didn't have to look for long, Sakura had spotted him. She came hurrying over immediatly, dressed elegntly in a pale green kimono patterned with sakura blossoms. She embraced Naruto fully and then stood back to get a proper look at him.

"Ah I knew that one would suit you, just had to get it as soon as I saw it. Here put this on too," she dug into another bag on her arm and pressed a black haori into his hands. "Sasuke said I should sew the symbol of the Namikaze clan onto it. I didn't know you were related to them, did you know our last coven leader before Tsunade was a Namikaze?"

"Yeah, I did. Thank you for this Sakura, it means a lot."

She moved closer and did up the ties of the haori for him. "Don't thank me, Sasuke was the one who asked me to go shopping, I assumed you already had an outfit sorted out."

Naruto looked at her in surprise, "Sasuke did?"

Sakura nodded and smiled at him. "There, don't you look hansom. We're all proud of you Naruto, especially Sasuke. You'll be a great hunter."

Naruto nodded and returned her smile. He knew Sasuke hadn't said anything about being proud; it wasn't like him at all. But Sakura knew Sasuke well and it cheered him that she thought that. She led him over to where a group of Hunter's from the coven were gathered, it looked like everyone was there. Ino was here with Sakura of course and Naruto was glad to see Kiba talking to Hinata and Lee and Tenten standing by the food tables. Sai, Karin and Suigetsu were also there and Naruto was surprised to see Juugo with them. He thought about asking who was guarding the coven if the strong hunter was here but decided against it at the last moment; he didn't know the man, and it was rude to assume he didn't get holiday time.

Instead he whispered his question to Sakura, "The coven is well guarded, right?"

"Eh? Of course, Tenzou and Kakashi are both on the job. Tsunade will be there as well and Shino is watching the surrounding area plus most of the watchers stay in the city. The club is closed on nights like this but it's still very likely they'll be an attack. We'll send all our power to them tonight and tomorrow morning the brightness of this world will begin to grow again."

"Right," said Naruto nodding nervously. He didn't quite understand what everyone meant by 'sending their power to the others' or 'fighting the demons in spirit' but he hoped things would be clearer by the morning. "Where's Sasuke?"

"I thought he might come up with you to be honest. He doesn't usually attend celebrations anymore but I did think he'd come for your initiation. He's probably lurking somewhere."

Naruto nodded absently. If Sasuke wasn't already here he didn't really expect him to show; it was quite obvious that he didn't want to be around Naruto anymore. Naruto wanted to leave this crowded area and find Sasuke but he didn't know what he'd say anyway. Besides the sun was low in the sky and an air of expectation hung about the lakeside gathering.

Suddenly the drums altered their steady rythm hitting a few fast beats before falling utterly silent. The cheery singing had stopped, as had the friendly conversations. Sunset was upon them.

A strong voice rang out in the silence.

"Since the beginning of time we have united in this season, on the Winter Solstice; the darkest of nights." All eyes turned to the east. There stood Hiashi, splendid in robes of palest blue, standing against the sun so that it seemed to shine from within him. He spoke to the gathering as a whole, commanding their attention and asserting himself as their leader. Hiashi didn't need to raise his voice for every hunter in the clearing to hear his every word. "We gather here, the Hyuuga Clan and our fellow Hunters to welcome the new light. Tonight we celebrate the joys of this world and accumulate our strength to ward away the evil powers that so relish this day. As we delve into darkness we shall send our power to those who need it most; our brave brothers and sisters."

As he finished his speech Hiashi spread his arms and turned to the east as though he were about to embrace the sun as it slid down into the ocean far away from their high mountain slope. The clearing was as quiet as the grave as they watched the light leave the world and Naruto thought he finally understood. Even though no one made a sound Naruto could almost feel a buzzing around them, as though something whispered among the trees and cast tendrils of warmth around them. His very soul seemed to lighten before the sun finally vanished. At the last moment he felt as though he was being pulled towards the horizon, he longed for the warmth to return.

Then Hiashi moved, stooping low he picked up two long branches. When he spoke his voice sounded more forced, as though it took a lot of energy to speak. "Behold the light that can never die," he muttered, then he whirled around pointing both branches at the great pyre and almost shouted, "Reborn anew in the Solstice Sky!"

There was a loud whooshing sound and a burst of pure white flames ballooned from the point where the branches met. There were gasps of apprieciation as the witchfire hit the bonfire heap and the flames turned red and flared high. The bonfire was lit.

"It takes a powerful hunter to pull off witchfire at the darkest of times," said a familiar voice behind Naruto as Neji rushed up to support a swaying Hiashi.

He turned to find Sasuke standing behind him. He wore a dark blue kimono with patterns of storm clouds and lightening. The Uchiha crest was emblazened proudly on his haori which was of the same navy blue as his hakama. He was looking over Naruto's shoulder.

"My father used to lead the ceremonies at the Uchiha celebration ground."

"Sasuke..." began Naruto. He needed to talk, he had to apoligise and make sure he hadn't fucked everything up.

"You need to go over to him, it's time for your initiation," said Sasuke flatly.

Naruto's heart sank. Sasuke wasn't acting like his friend anymore, they were back to being teacher and student and after the ceremony they wouldn't even be that. Naruto didn't want to walk away right now but Sakura was at his side.

"Come on Naruto, it must be now."

"We need to talk," said Naruto hurridly.

"Enjoy your night," replied Sasuke, moving away through the crowd.

Naruto lost sight of him as Sakura steered him towards the bonfire where Hiashi stood. She pushed him into position in front of the Hyuuga leader and stepped away. The crowd fell silent as they realised what was happening.

"Deshi(3) Uzumaki Naruto," began Hiashi, his voice restored to it's clear timbre in the light of the bonfire. "Son of..."

Naruto started as he realised he was expected to name his father, he swallowed, "Namikaze Minato."

Hiashi raised an eyebrow but more substantial whispers filtered around the circle. The Hyuuga leader nodded, "Son of Namikaze Minato, you stand before the winter solstice gathering and the fire of our kind in order to pledge yourself to The Hunt who seek to purge the land of all demonic forces. You hearby vow to maintain the purity of your own spirit and swear allegiance in the pursuit of this most noble cause. Speak of it."

"This I desire, so mote it be," Naruto recited the ritual words Sasuke had taught him.

An echo of, 'So mote it be' ran around the circle and there was a moment of silence before the drums began again.

Hiashi gave him a slow nod, "Congratulations Naruto, welcome to The Hunt."

* * *

(1)Shamisen = three-stringed Japanese guitar

(2)Geshi = Summer Solstice

(3)Deshi = Pupil/desciple/apprentice

**A/N:** I could make excuses for writing more boring magickal ritual stuff but I enjoy it and I figure since they kissed I can get away with it?

-Yasu


	19. A Helping Hand

**A/N: **Quite a lot of emo in this chapter, I hope I managed to convey Sasuke's complicated feelings, without him being seen as weak. -_-;

* * *

Sasuke sat just outside the circle of witchfire torches on a fallen tree. He was invisible dressed in his dark celebration clothes and hidden in the shadow of the forest. From here Sasuke had watched as Naruto took the Hunter's Vow and then as he had been swamped by people offering their congratulations. Sai was keeping up a steady supply of mulled wine designed to warm everyone. Sasuke had had none; he didn't particularly feel like making his presence known so he would bear with the cold.

He knew Naruto wanted to talk and Sasuke had seen him glancing around as though searching for someone. Sasuke told himself that he wasn't exactly avoiding Naruto; he was probably visible if someone looked hard enough. Still, the unexpected end to their earlier sparring match kept floating unbidden to the forefront of his mind. Sasuke sighed, he really shouldn't have let something like that happen. He couldn't deny that he had grown increasingly fond of Naruto's company over his training months. So much so that it wasn't merely the company that he enjoyed, Naruto had become his friend. There had been moments, when Sasuke had felt a strange longing or an urge to be closer to Naruto, to make sure they would always be together. But Sasuke knew, better than anyone that in their world people didn't stay together.

Sasuke started as he realised someone was walking in his direction. He thought about bolting into the forest but she was looking right at him and such an action would seem cowardly. So he forced himself to remain seated as Hanabi joined him on the log. She held out a cup of hot mulled wine which he accepted with only the slightest hesitation. She probably knew he was cold anyway, it was the middle of winter after all.

They sat in silence listening to the taiko drums now accompanied by Neji on his shamisen. He swirled the strange hot drink around thoughtfully, checking the time every now and then. It was all alien again; this was nothing like the Uchiha's celebrations which had been statements of grandeur for as long as Sasuke could remember. And they didn't drink wine from their own vineyards as the Hyuuga family did. The celebrational drink was always homemade but the Uchiha adults had drunk a bright green tea, Sasuke remembered it clearly, though he had never been old enough to try it. He sipped at the sweet wine, his eyes falling once more on Naruto who was dancing with Sakura, both were laughing merrily as Ino swung past with Sai.

"He is not as light as he appears," murmured Hanabi. "His mind dwells on the texts I delivered to him this evening. He would readily bind himself to you. You know this, that is why you failed to mention the binding oath."

Sasuke grunted, so she'd told him about the oath? And Naruto wanted to take it with him. Sasuke watched Naruto's happy face as he danced. He couldn't allow that, he wouldn't fail another loved one.

"It's not possible."

"He knows what it means to bind yourself to another," she said calmly. Sasuke felt her pale eyes fall on him and struggled to wipe all thoughts from his mind but it was too late. "Ah..." she breathed in realisation, "It is not the vows that bother you, the past plagues your mind."

"Just because you glimpse my surface thoughts do not assume to know my mind," he snapped at her.

"I was merely making an observation."

Sasuke felt his temper flare; all these bloody Hyuugas were the same. "Well I don't like being observed like some animal in a zoo!" he said angrily, jumping to his feet and vaulting over the log into the forest.

Behind him he heard Hanabi mutter, "Nobody ever does." But he didn't pause to puzzle her meaning.

Sasuke stormed away through the trees. He didn't want to remember and he certainly didn't want to share his memories with a nosy child. He ran downhill as fast as he could in the inconvenient geta, using his superior sight to pick a safe path.

"Sasuke! Wait up!"

That was all it took, a moment of concentration lost and Sasuke's foot caught in a tree root sending him sprawling on the forest floor in a most undignified manner. He growled in annoyance as he sat up looking at the pine needles and mud marring his hakama. Sasuke looked over his shoulder to see Naruto hurrying down the hill. He snatched up the empty cup that had fallen from his hand and hurled it as soon as the man was within range. It flew past Naruto's ear and smashed on a nearby tree.

"What was that for bastard?!"

"Fuck off!" replied Sasuke, pulling himself to his feet.

"No!"

"Why not?" he inquired in a hostile tone, brushing dead leaves away from his best kimono.

"We need to talk," said Naruto firmly.

"Now?" asked Sasuke incredulously, refusing to look at him.

"Actually I would have preferred earlier but I couldn't find you."

"You didn't try," said Sasuke harshly. It was true that Naruto hadn't tried but Sasuke also hadn't made it very easy.

"Okay fine, but I was looking for you." Sasuke nodded stiffly, finally looking at him as Naruto bowed his head. "I... I wanted to apologise... for earlier. My actions were inappropriate, I didn't mean to offend you and hope our friendship has not been damaged."

Sasuke looked at him in surprise, the apology was obviously well rehearsed. He reached over, his hand hovering over Naruto's shoulder. His stomach was churning. Sasuke didn't know what he had expected to come from avoiding Naruto but this didn't feel right.

"Not your fault," he stuttered out. "I might have... overreacted." Sasuke awkwardly set his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I'm not saying it wasn't inappropriate but you're not the only one to blame."

Naruto looked up, relief shining from him. Then suddenly Sasuke was pulled into a strong hug. It wasn't the first time they had hugged and Sasuke reassured himself that it was just a friendly gesture. He dropped his head on Naruto's slightly shorter shoulder.

Sasuke took a deep breath, he needed to explain the situation, Naruto had to understand. "It's not just that we were teacher and student, that's not really a serious problem. But romantic involvement with other hunters is often messy, I don't want to lose what we have."

"I don't want to lose you either," murmured Naruto. "But that doesn't change how I feel about you. We have time." His voice was muffled as he buried his face in Sasuke's chest, "-won't give up."

Sasuke felt his heartbeat quicken. He didn't quite understand everything that Naruto was saying but he knew now that their relationship had gone past the friends stage. It was all changing too quickly for Sasuke and it scared him. He had never needed to think about such things before.

"There was something else I wanted to talk to you about," he heard Naruto mutter.

"I know," said Sasuke softly; he had been dreading this part.

Naruto stepped back, "You know? How?"

"Hanabi told me." Naruto looked puzzled so he continued. "She's a mind-reader dobe."

"Eh, like literally?!" Sasuke nodded. "Huh... guess that explains why I always get weird vibes from her. Damn that's a little creepy, little 13 year old girls shouldn't be able to pry into peoples thoughts." Naruto took a moment to digest this new information before looking at Sasuke again. "So she told you about the bonding thing?"

Sasuke nodded. He was having to force himself to stay put, he had the urge to run again. The darkness of the night was getting to him and he felt far too exposed outside, under the stars. The clock was ticking, they couldn't linger here for too long. Right now the last thing he wanted to do was have this conversation, he couldn't take that oath again.

"Will you-"

"Don't ask me Naruto." Sasuke turned away, but he didn't leave just yet, he knew he would have to give a reason.

"Why?" Naruto sounded hurt, more hurt than Sasuke had expected.

Sasuke took a pained breath, his chest felt suddenly tight. "It wouldn't work. You'd be better off finding someone else."

"I don't want anyone else. You're my best friend! For fuck's sake Sasuke, you can't deny we work well together!"

Naruto's voice was desperate, he was clearly determined to have his way and Sasuke knew just how stubborn he was. But he ignored the continued protests and arguments. Until...

"What are you scared of?"

Sasuke stiffened. Naruto had resorted to goading him. His instinct was to think of a smart comeback and prove that he wasn't scared of anything. Sasuke had never admitted to being scared. And that was because of course, Uchiha's didn't get scared. But he did, he was scared to hurting people and scared of losing control. He'd seen it happen before and it had made him... wary of binding himself to anyone again. Doubts had been breeding in his mind. One of the key responsibilities of the oath was to help your bonded fight any and all demonic urges.

"You haven't felt the demonic pull yet have you?"

Naruto reeled at the blunt question. "What? Well... I suppose not. But what's that got to do with anything?"

"I'm not the only one who expects it. You'll face the problem at some point and I think it will be even more difficult to fight; it'll hit you stronger than most have to deal with. You don't get it; I won't be able to help you fight it like your bonded should."

"Well I can fight whatever comes my way. It'll be fine." Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's optimism. "What? Why are you so sure this will end badly? Do you have a reason or are you just being a grumpy bastard?!"

"I've seen it before. I fucked up my last bonded."

Confusion was etched into Naruto's features,"But... I thought it was a permanent oath?"

"'Breakable only by death'."

"Who?" Sasuke looked back at Naruto, despair and guilt written all over his face and the answer came to Naruto. "...Itachi."

Sasuke nodded. He hadn't wanted Naruto to know; he'd screwed up everything. All Sasuke's life Itachi had been the perfect big brother, he was kind and strong and had always protected him. It had seemed natural to take the oath and Sasuke had been keen for the opportunity to be his brother's equal. But when Itachi had needed him Sasuke hadn't been able to protect him or their family. Everyone had died because he hadn't been strong enough.

"Sasuke... I'm not Itachi. You need to let go of the past. I want to help you and I think you can help me too. In fact you already have helped me; you make me strong. From the start you've pushed me and I want to return the favour. That... demon that got your brother, he's still out there right?"

"Madara... You're not strong enough to defeat him," scoffed Sasuke.

"Together we might be, and we can at least try. I want to try.

"That would be suicide."

Naruto shook his head stubbornly. "I don't care."

"You're crazy."

A cat-like grin spread across Naruto's face and he shrugged. "All the geniuses in this world are crazy, you know that Sasuke. Come on, be my bonded! We'd be good together." Sasuke shifted awkwardly; he wasn't persuaded. Naruto nodded in understanding. "I can't decide for you. But you have till sunrise so I guess you have some thinking to do."

Naruto began to turn away when a echoing horn blast stopped him in his tracks.

Sasuke cursed, "It must be nearly midnight, we need to get back to the cabins!" Sasuke turned on his heel and began to hurry downhill once more.

"There's a curfew?" asked Naruto, following him as quickly as possible.

"Use your brain 'genius', it's the witching hour; the demons will be at their strongest point of the entire year. Get inside, lock the doors, draw the curtains and hide under your covers. Strange things happen during the witching hour."

They fled as fast as they could through the night and reached the cabins with only minutes to spare.

"Stay with me," gasped Naruto, clutching at a stitch in his side.

"I daren't, I already feel the pull; the Demon's Hour changes _people_!"

The next sixty minutes were pure hell for Sasuke. He did indeed cower beneath his covers but every fibre of his being longed to break free from the confines of his cabin. Again and again he relived the torturous images of that night so many years ago when his world had been stolen from him. His senses had clouded over, everything blanketed in a crackling fog leaving him alone with his memories.

He saw again the grand front of a five-star hotel, pride of the Uchiha family enterprise. Itachi held his hand as they followed their parents into the glass lift and flew to the rooftop where everyone danced, gliding across the floor in a myriad of beautiful colours. The Uchiha's solstice celebration. Here was every proud and successful Uchiha, ready to brag about their achievements and showcase their children. The city's pavements where insignificant far below, the evening sky like an expansive blanket of the finest silk painted in sunset colours.

But the sky soon lost all light. There were screams. Then shouts. The chink of steel on steel. Sasuke wheeled around as someone pushed past, he watched as Shisui threw himself from the rooftop, shamisen in hand. Several others followed him. The smell of burning was filling the air, someone had tipped the ceremonial fire from it's volumous brazier onto the banquet tables. And soon it wasn't just the tables that were burning. The air was tainted with the tang of singed flesh as people threw themselves into the blaze. The exits saw a constant stream of people fleeing the scene and Sasuke was bourne into the crowd. He was jostled down endless flights of stairs and at every floor the crowd thinned as people sought cover from the madness in the sprawling corridors of the hotel.

By the time Sasuke reached the lobby he was almost alone. A few faceless Uchihas blended into the ground floor rooms and one ran for the revolving door. He was almost safe when a tall boy stepped into his path. The man pulled a dagger from an inside pocket but held it in trembling hands. Sasuke watched as he turned his dagger and plunged it deep into his own chest. As the dead man keeled over sideways the source of the night's madness was revealed. Sasuke looked upon the face of his brother and was unable to recognise him.

Eyes that gleamed bloody red stared accusingly at Sasuke through the dark. Electricity ripped through him like the fire that had consumed the jewelled structure and he writhed under its pressure. The demonic magick within him called for release.

**-0-**

Naruto also dwelt beneath his covers but he felt rather stupid for doing so. He wondered briefly whether Sasuke was making a fool of him but he had only to remind himself of the panicked expression on the Uchiha's face as he fled in the direction of his cabin to realise that this threat was one that truly scared Sasuke. So then he was left pondering what exactly this threat was. 'The Demon's Hour'? What was that exactly? He vaguely remembered Sakura telling him that everyone would be in bed fairly early and people had been leaving the lakeside for a while before Naruto had spotted Sasuke running into the forest, but he had assumed it was merely a suggestion that ensured everyone woke up for the sunrise ceremony. Now he discovered it was some dark hour when people... changed. Naruto clenched his fists; that surely meant a demonic change. He closed his eyes, remembering a red eyed Sasuke advancing on him, charged up with demonic energy. And he was in that cabin all alone... shouldn't Neji be with him to neutralise him? Or did Neji suffer at this time as well?

"Am I the only one who feels nothing?" Naruto asked the empty room.

Sasuke had warned him he might feel a slight change as the solstice approached, perhaps a bout of headaches, or lack of energy some hunters even experienced moodiness and grew short-tempered at this time, Naruto thought Sasuke was the latter, but he had felt none of these side effects. It seemed every hunter felt the turning of the year and the peak of the demons' power. It wasn't as though he wanted to turn into some demon but if everyone thought it was all going to hit him hard then Naruto wanted to get it over with. Apparently this was one of those 'rather sooner than later' things.

However, more than anything else at this moment, he wanted to go to Sasuke. He felt an overwhelming urge to rush over there and give the Uchiha whatever he needed, whether it be company or someone to lash out at. His reaction to Hiashi's display of power when the man lit the fire earlier had been one of shock. Naruto didn't see what was so hard, he had learned how to produce witchfire a while ago and it was easy enough, but he trusted Sasuke's knowledge; it was difficult to do it at this _time_, it was all to do with this night. Sasuke's last words remained with him; 'The Demon's Hour changes _people!_' He had sounded utterly frantic. In fact Sasuke had seemed a little twitchy all evening, or at least for the time Naruto had seen him. It would be just like Sasuke to hide his struggle. If tonight was difficult for Sasuke he wouldn't admit it, Naruto knew his pride would not permit it.

Naruto had a sudden thought. He hadn't tried to produce clones for the last few days perhaps if he did it now it would prove that what everyone else viewed as a dark time had absolutely no effect on him. He was still sat under his bedcovers as he focused on drawing all his magick inwards and then sending it in several different directions. There were several small thuds as three pyjama clad copies of Naruto rolled away from him. Naruto grinned... and then frowned. So he wasn't effected. No need to hide under the covers then. He stood up and looked at the other Narutos.

At that moment a distant cry reached his ears. Naruto strained his hunter hearing and heard the noise again; it was Sasuke. He didn't think twice before disobeying Sasuke's orders and rushing out of the cabin. If he was having another of his nightmares he wouldn't be allowed to suffer it alone. Naruto ran full pelt up the path clones in tow and wrenched Sasuke's door open.

The Uchiha wasn't under his covers, he was curled on the cold wooden floor, writhing in pain and clutching his head in both hands.

"Shit, Sasuke!"

Naruto hurried over and dropped to the floor beside him but as soon as he reached out Sasuke shrugged him away.

"Leave!" rasped Sasuke trying to crawl away.

"This is no time to be proud Sasuke!"

Naruto grabbed the mans shoulder, pulling Sasuke back to face him. Sasuke's eyes which had been clamped shut suddenly opened wide. They were vividly red. Before Naruto could do anything pale hands wrapped tightly around his throat, squeezing with frightening force. But the shock of the situation wore off fast and the hunter instinct Sasuke said he had, kicked in. It took less than a second for Naruto to flicker between all three of his clones delivering the frantic order: 'Restrain him!' They immediately sprang into action. Two grabbed his arms to haul him backwards, Naruto hurried to push him down on the floor sitting astride him and instructing his other clone to pin Sasuke's legs down as the Uchiha attempted a counter move.

"Sasuke! Look at me!" cried Naruto.

Sasuke's head, which had been angrily flipping from side to side searching for an opening snapped to Naruto's face. His normally handsome face was contorted in blind rage, pale cheeks marred by a blotchy red flush. Naruto was temporarily lost for words. What could he say to bring back that calm expression and those deep, dark eyes?

"Please... Sasuke," Naruto murmured, his voice cracking as he leaned close, holding the struggling man down, trying to communicate his message with his eyes. Sasuke had once said he was too easy to read and Naruto begged all the powers in this world and the next to let Sasuke understand him. "Don't you recognise me? It's Naruto... your best friend Naruto..."

Naruto thought he saw a flicker of something register in Sasuke's eyes, his pupils which had shrunk to a pin prick, barely visible, widened to a more normal size though the irises were still stained blood red. And still he struggled. In a mad moment of desperation Naruto leaned forward and pressed his lips, once, hard to Sasuke's. Into the kiss he threw all his will to restore the normal Sasuke, the only Sasuke, his Sasuke.

When he broke away he felt Sasuke draw a deep breath. His eyes were still red but his attempts to break free had lessened.

"Hands!" he choked out, throwing all his strength into freeing his arms. "...Give!"

Naruto nodded that he understood. He allowed his clones to merge with his body once more but took the precaution of restraining the man's upper arms to prevent Sasuke from throttling him again. He almost let go as electricity sparked briefly at Sasuke's hands which splayed palm down on the floor, but the energy seemed confined to his hands as it flowed from his increasingly limp body. Sasuke's eyes were closed in concentration and Naruto didn't dare move for fear of upsetting him.

Several tense minutes later Sasuke's exhaled slowly, opening his eyes as he did so. Naruto looked into them and nearly cried in relief. His head fell forwards, forehead resting against Sasuke, still feverish from the episode.

"I thought I lost you," he admitted softly.

Sasuke's eyes drifted shut as he reached up and wrapped his arms around Naruto pulling him closer. He nestled his face into the crook of Naruto's neck taking long, calming breaths. Naruto held him tightly, desperately needing the comfort of another living body. He stared hard at a strangely shaped scorch mark on the wooden floorboards. It looked like a hand print.

"You did it, what Neji does... dispelling your magick," he muttered in realisation.

He felt Sasuke nod a little and make a muffled reply.

"What did you say?"

"I'll do it," replied Sasuke in a firmer voice. "At sunrise."

Naruto's eyes widened as he realised what was being said. "You really want to?" he asked, pulling away to look at Sasuke.

"Yes. It feels right somehow..." he said pensively, looking at the burn marks his magick had created.

"Okay," Naruto replied with a small smile that lit his features. "Then I think we should get to sleep, we have an early start," he stood up and offered Sasuke a hand.

Sasuke glanced up at him, cocking an eyebrow in a familiar expression. "You're inviting yourself into my bed now?"

Naruto didn't miss a beat, "It's only practical; I need to make sure you're up in time."

"I think you got that the wrong way around."

He accepted Naruto's help to stand. His legs shook slightly, he was clearly feeling drained. Naruto helped him walk over the bedroll. Sasuke looked on the verge of protesting at the treatment despite the fact that he obviously needed it. They lay down and silence filled the cabin for several long moments so that Naruto couldn't be sure if Sasuke was still awake.

"Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"What changed your mind?"

There was a long, tense pause, "I'm not sure," he said eventually. "Something just feels different... I feel different."

"I'm glad."

"Go to sleep."

* * *

**A/N:** Hope that went down okay, let me know, ne?

-Yasu


	20. I Vow

The next morning when Sasuke roused him the first thing Naruto set eyes on was the thick growth of moss and... mushrooms on the wooden floor where Sasuke had lain last night. Sasuke was currently busy rolling up the heavy scroll he had been reading. Naruto frowned; he couldn't have had much sleep if he'd woken in time to fetch the ceremony scroll from the other cabin. It worried him a little but he judged it best not to comment, he would make sure Sasuke slept tonight, it would be their last night in Evergreen Forest before they returned to the city.

He looked back at the strangely familiar mushrooms which now hid the scorchmarks that had patterned the floor. With a groan and a badly stifled yawn Naruto crawled out of bed and went to examine the fungi.

"Are they... shrooms?"

Sasuke shrugged, "Well I did discharge a lot of magick into the floorboards," he said nonchalantly.

Naruto plucked one of the shrooms and twirled it between finger and thumb. "You grew magic mushrooms!" he said with a snort of laughter. "Neji's going to love this!"

"How do you even know what shrooms look like?"

Naruto gave him a secretive look accompanied by a cheeky grin, "I know."

**-0-**

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Go and change into your kimono... and jeans," he added as an afterthought, they were supposed to wear only kimonos and underthings but it was too cold for that.

Five minutes later they left the cabins together. The morning air was cold and crisp and the muted light of predawn failed to penetrate the depths Evergreen Forest. Naruto was wearing his new kimono over a pair of jeans and had traded his geta for trainers but he still shivered without the warmth of his haori. Clumps of snow littered the ground where the forest canopy was thinnest but everything else was covered in a layer of slippery frost and icicles adorned any fallen branches. Following the treacherous path upwards Sasuke soon lost sight of the buildings in the dense forest even with his advanced sight. They climbed higher but dispite the exhertion, Sasuke was shivering uncontrollably.

"This is probably another reason why it isn't _traditional_ to hold binding ceremonies at the winter solstice," he muttered distractedly.

Then as Sasuke stepped around a large tree stump he slipped on an icy patch. Struggling to keep his balance on the steep slope he fell to one knee wincing as he landed on a sharp rock. Naruto was at his side in an instant, pulling him to his feet. At this point Sasuke decided that he had had enough of darkness for one night and so he strayed from their route.

Naruto hurried after him, not wishing to be seperated. "'Another reason'?" he queried.

"Well it's supposed to be bad luck to become bonded at such a dark time," replied Sasuke in a dismissive tone.

Naruto cocked an eyebrow but Sasuke simply shrugged; he didn't really believe in luck and superstition, if it had been a matter of magick like the Demon's Hour he might have given the matter more thought. But in no text that Sasuke had ever read was it written that there was any kind of magickal 'curse' over those who chose to be bonded at the darkest time of the year. Besides it wasn't as though the ceremony was preformed during the night, the sun's arrival after such a long night was a powerful good omen. Sasuke didn't know what it was but something had changed tonight. He had woken from the most vivid apparitions he had ever experienced during Demon's Hour with a certainty in his mind about what he must do. It had been quite a revelation that he had managed to rid himself of the overpowering demonic energies but Sasuke knew what had given him the strength to do it.

Finding a suitable tree Sasuke drew his sword, its deadly blade seemingly finding light in the darkness with which to glint. He raised it above his head and brought it down quickly slicing two branches from the thick trunk of a fir tree. He caught them up and threw one to Naruto.

"We'd have to do this at some point anyway," he said lightly; the Hyuuga's ceremony called for two witchfire beacons to be lit.

Naruto nodded and swung his branch through the air as though striking a huge match. Witchfire was immediatly kindled, pure white flames giving off a bright flickering light. Sasuke sheathed his sword and took a deep breath before copying the motion. Nothing happened. Sasuke felt a flicker of annoyance. He tried again. Still no bright white flames.

"Something wrong?"

"No!" snapped Sasuke, indignation making his voice harsh.

"You did say it was difficult to do magick tonight," said Naruto softly.

"It's not night time anymore!"

"Well you did use a lot of magick last night..."

Sasuke swung the branch furiously again, concentrating with all his might on getting his magick to flow. He could feel the magick flowing through his veins, it was much less than normal but witchfire took very little energy. Magick wasn't the problem he just couldn't mold it correctly. He swung in faster and with more force but nothing was happening and the harder he tried the more he felt like a failure. He had to be able to light his beacon; no one else could do it for him (not that he'd let them). Naruto didn't offer to do it for him; he knew the rules, it had to be Sasuke's fire. But after several more irratic attempts Naruto caught his madly waving arm. Sasuke instinctually tried to pull away but then he saw the pleading look in Naruto's eyes, it said quite plainly: 'Trust me.'

Sasuke took a calming breath, and did something that was completely against his nature, he put his faith in Naruto. Sasuke knew he would have to trust Naruto with his wellbeing for the rest of his life so he may as well start now. Naruto dropped his torch into a pile of snow where it continued to burn, heatless and waterproof as long as it was confined to it's branch. Turning back he took Sasuke's shaking hand in both of his.

"You've just got a touch of hunter's block is all," said Naruto. "So calm down and approach it logically. That's supposed to be your strength not mine. You can do it, we both know that."

Sasuke ignored the ridiculous new term 'hunter's block' and closed his eyes, drawing strength from the warmth of Naruto's steady hands. Suddenly it was easy to believe that he could pull off the simple spell. With a surge of confidence he directed power into the damp wood. He heard Naruto make a satisfied sound and opened his eyes to shimmering white flames.

"Told you so," said Naruto with a smile as he bent to collect his branch. "We better get moving, I don't know how close dawn is; it's impossible to tell in this gloom."

Sasuke nodded and followed Naruto back to the path. They were close to the lake by now and he had made sure they were up with plenty of time to spare. Sasuke looked from his burning torch to Naruto's retreating form, and allowed himself a small smile; trust was surprisingly easy so far.

At the lake's edge they paused. The path they had taken was the same one Sasuke and Neji had used to get to the dock. The wooden platform was coated in a pristine layer of ice. From here onwards their road followed the southern bank of Mamizu Lake. Their journey was silent and peaceful. By the time they reached the clifftop the skyline to the east was lighter and pinpricks of witchfire could be seen on the far bank of the lake. Every Hunter in Hyuuga forest had turned out most with branches ablaze to watch the sunrise. But they were far away, unconnected with the ceremony happening atop the cliff.

"You can lead, I didn't get a chance to refresh my memory of the actual vows," said Sasuke, his voice only slightly horse with nerves.

He knew this was the right decision, he didn't understand it, but he knew. Reaching up he lifted the silver chain from around his neck and handed his pendant to Naruto. This was a trust excercise, normally Naruto would hand over his in return but he hadn't recieved it yet. Sasuke was mildly surprised he hadn't asked about it again.

Sasuke turned away and walked upstream as Naruto stepped forward. The ceremony ground sat before him, a triangular area of springy moss. At his feet ran a river flowing from the western mountains over the cliffedge on his right. Naruto watched him make his way along the path to the bridge at the point where the river forked around the great trunk of the ancient yew tree. The tree itself took up most of the ceremony ground, thousands of weather rounded pebbles lay within it's hollow base and spilled between its knarled roots.

**-0-**

Naruto looked up from the strange pebbles as Sasuke appeared on the bank of the other channel of fast flowing water. They made eye contact and nodded. Then each moved to a rounded stone near the cliffedge. Naruto carefully shifted the top half away revealing a hollow stocked with dried herbs. He lowered his torch into the bowl and commanded his witchfire to jump from the branch. As soon as it left it's original kindling the flames turned into normal fire and the herbs burnt immediatly. Red and yellow flames danced high and great plumes of blue smoke were emitted from the beacon. Naruto stood straight-backed again and saw Sasuke's own beacon flare strongely. Both smiled proudly, their magical prowess proven.

Next came the test of honesty. Naruto and Sasuke stood nearly seven meters away, the two swift rivers between them and the sky rapidly paleing. Each kicked off their trainers and reached for their kimonos. The two Hunters quickly disrobed, shivering but maintaining the required eye contact. Traditionally they should wear only their undergarments when they crossing into the sacred ground but both agreed this wasn't phesable in the middle of winter. So they each stepped into the seperate rivers with their jeans rolled up around their knees. The icy water was a cleansing measure and Naruto held Sasuke's pendant tightly as he plunged his fist into the river, careful not to let the strong current steal it away. He stepped onto the opposite bank, now on sacred land, and walked towards Sasuke.

They stood face to face before the ancient yew tree. Naruto held out Sasuke's pendant in his cold, wet hand.

"I reflect your thoughts," he intoned.

Sasuke repeated his words and held out his right hand, a matching pendant in his palm. Naruto's eyes widened for a moment and he almost asked the question that sprang into his mind. But he caught himself at the last second.

"I will respect your needs," Naruto said as he reached out for the offered pendant.

He had no idea where this pendant had come from and was even more intrigued to know why the Kiyo crystal at it's centre already glowed faintly. But he couldn't break the magick in the middle of their vows, he didn't know if it would ruin it. Sasuke copied his motions as Naruto took the symbol of his Hunter allegience. The Uchiha pretended he didn't know what the hesitation had been about but Naruto was certain he had planned this move. Still he couldn't think about it at the moment. He quickly set the chain around his neck feeling cold water drip from it.

As he proceeded with the final vow Naruto looked into Sasuke's unfathomably black eyes. Just as the scroll had instructed he placed his hand over Sasuke's heart where the gleaming crystal lay. Naruto could feel his partner's heartbeat now, unexpectedly fast, considering Sasuke's face was as calm as the lake far below them.

"And I vow to protect your precious soul," they said in unison.

At that moment the sun stretched its first morning rays over the world, the beacons flared suddenly brighter and the Kiyo crystal beneath Naruto's hand glowed with such power that he had to squint just to make out Sasuke's eyes. The crystal on his own chest was also glowing brightly, two beacons of light that dwarfed the real beacons and were humbled only by the sun itself. After several long moments the glow faded and both hunters expelled long breaths.

Naruto panted slightly, "Bonded, huh?"

Sasuke nodded, "Definitely bonded."

**-0-**

He lowered his hand from Naruto's tan chest and turned to watch the sunrise. It had never seemed so bright and clear. It lifted his spirits to know that this night was over. He swayed slightly with sheer exhaustion as it all washed over him. Naruto was at his side in an instant, he wrapped a strong arm securely around Sasuke's waist. Sasuke didn't stop him, he knew he needed the support right now, physically and mentally. He also knew that Naruto would insist on giving him support from now on, something Sasuke didn't entirely dislike.

Sasuke closed his eyes and sent out a silent prayer to Itachi as he did every winter solstice. They watched the sun reach over the horizon together. It was a tradition to watch the first sunrise of their bonded life in silence and Sasuke found himself enjoying it. Naruto's presence at his side was strangely comforting and it was extra nice when he was quiet. However the sunrise only lasted so long.

"So what do you suppose all those pebbles are for?" asked Naruto, looking over his shoulder at the piles of stones under the old yew tree.

"They're life stones," Sasuke explained. "Each one has the name of a hunter with Hyuuga blood inscribed in it, that's another spell I'll have to teach you; magickal inscriptions, useful for secret messages," there were still some spells that were commonly used, and this was one of them.

"Life stones? So what about when they're not living?"

Sasuke resisted an eyeroll at Naruto's inquisitive nature. "If they die or become a demon, someone, usually the person who was closest to them, will come up here and cast it away from the living... usually into water," he said quietly looking over the cliff to the lake, "since it's believed to be the portal between worlds."

"That sounds kind of nice," said Naruto, looking penseively at the stones. "instead of a gravestone to mark your death, a life stone to mark your life. I think I wouldn't mind one of them."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

Sasuke nodded, it seemed like a good idea. "When we go to the Uchiha home I'll teach you the spell." It would be nice to have Naruto make a life stone to go next to his. When his family had been abolished he had personally thrown every one of their life stones into the ocean. His now looked rather lonely, not that he had much chance to look at it.

Naruto smiled a small, grateful smile, "Thank you."

Sasuke nodded again and led him out of the sacred ground. He was glad that he could give Naruto something else to make him belong, Sasuke knew it meant a lot to him. The sun had risen by now and a beautiful melody could be heard, floating across the water from the celebration ground. The ceremony was over. They crossed the river and Sasuke put his clothes back on before walking back over the bridge further upstream and collecting Naruto's clothes as well.

It had been such a long night. So much had happened; they had sparred, Naruto had been welcomed into the hunter fold, there had been dancing, and then the darkest of times when Sasuke hadn't believed he would survive and now he had taken vows that he had never thought he would repeat. Sasuke's world had come crashing down on a night like the one that had just passed. He had thought it had been the end. But tonight a new path had been revealed to him, he didn't quite know where he was headed but at least he didn't have to walk alone anymore.

Evergreen Forest was the last place Sasuke had expected anything good to happen. He certainly hadn't expected to find himself whilst in Hyuuga territory. In the past he had entertained ideas that if he could return to the Uchiha estate then he would experience a sudden moment of understanding and would instantly know his path. But it didn't really seem have anything to do with the location. Perhaps he really had needed all those evenings of pointless conversation. Maybe having an endlessly enthusiatic sparring partner on whom to release his frustration had done some good? The presence an unconditionally friendly face might actually have helped too.

"So where exactly did this come from?"

Sasuke stopped walking and turned to see Naruto dangling his new pendant from it's chain, or perhaps new wasn't the word?

Sasuke smiled and pulled Itachi's pendant from under his kimono, "I haven't worn my own pendant since I killed my brother."

* * *

**A/N: **Bah I know this took far too long, I've been totally tied up in exams and revision and deadlines. And I'm not amazingly impressed with this one. Aw well. Ja ne!

-Yasu


	21. Return to Refuge

**A/N:** Maa someone suggested I try making the chapters longer so this is for them. Enjoy!

* * *

When he awoke after his nap Naruto was able to watch Sasuke sleep, a rare occurrence that he was taking full advantage of. Sasuke usually slept so lightly that he would wake as soon as his sixth sense felt Naruto's gaze. He knew the lazy morning was due mainly to severe magickal exhaustion but here in Evergreen Forest Sasuke seemed to have relaxed, just slightly. The Sasuke back in Konoha would never have consented to sleep outside of his set routine even in order to regain his strength. Naruto almost wished they could stay here on some surreal extended holiday, but he also itched to be back in the city. The promise of being allowed to walk above ground like a free man again was so exciting after months away from civilisation.

Naruto watched the dappled light of the midday sun reaching into the forest from overhead play over his partner's peaceful features. It was a beautiful sight that filled him with a kind of deep longing accompanied with a calming realisation that this man had just agreed to stay by his side for the rest of their lives. It hadn't quite sunk in and Naruto didn't think it would for quite a while. Sighing softly Naruto lay back down on his stomach, careful not to disturb the sleeping man next to him. They had slept in Sasuke's cabin again. Naruto had invited himself in again and he suspected Sasuke hadn't thrown him out simply because he was too tired to argue. It made him glad that Sasuke had acquiesced to sharing his bed, Naruto didn't much feel like being alone at the moment when having a partner had seemed so utterly important.

Smiling secretively Naruto pulled his new pendant out of his shirt collar and rested up on his elbows to examine it's swirling depths. He wasn't sure if he imagined it but the crystal looked brighter this morning. It was a strange thought that he was looking at his and Sasuke's magick entangled in it's purest, silvery form. He had been shocked to find out that he was to carry Sasuke's own pendant, the gesture was touching and Naruto was honoured that the proud Uchiha would trust him with something so special. Besides that it somehow seemed very... personal. He really had stumbled into the strangest world imaginable and soon he would be back in Konoha City, fighting to defend it.

Brrriiiiiing!

Next to him Sasuke sat bolt upright, eyes snapping open, peaceful illusion of relaxation irrevocably shattered. Naruto glared at the shrill bell next to the cabin door. It wasn't the meal time bell that was for sure, that one only rang in the evenings.

"Clan meeting," grunted Sasuke by way of a morning greeting.

They were both outside the main house within ten minutes, Naruto scowling after Sasuke had berated him for leaving his weapons in his own cabin so they had to make an extra stop. The two of them were met by Sakura and Ino as they stepped inside the large traditional house. There was a quick argument over which way the meeting room was but thankfully Shikamaru turned up mere seconds later to point them in the right direction. He seemed less than his usual, unconcerned self which they took as a warning sign.

The meeting room was large and bare, with a high ceiling, tatami floors and no windows. The standard Hyuuga insignia adorning the door and an ancient looking mirror provided the only decoration. A few of the people from last night's celebration were sitting in orderly rows amongst the many pale eyed Hyuugas but most had left already. Naruto sat next to Sasuke and looked to the front of the room where Hiashi sat ready to lead the meeting. When the last few people had filed in he cleared his throat and any whispered conversations ceased.

"I have just received an urgent message from Tsunade toumoku(1) calling a conference. We will now make contact."

Naruto didn't understand what he meant but he knew that 'urgent' couldn't be anything good. He watched in nervous anticipation as Hiashi moved to kneel before the ornate old mirror. The perfectly polished glass surface reached nearly to the ceiling and measured three of Hiashi in width with a frame of burnished silver intricately carved with lunar patterns and old lettering that Naruto suspected he couldn't have read even if it had been legible; it didn't look Japanese. Still, despite the antiquity of the frame, the mirror itself shone with such clean radiance that Naruto began to suspect magick was at play here.

His thoughts were confirmed when Hiashi placed his palms on the surface and said loudly, "Senju Tsunade!" as though he were calling to someone far away. (2)

Not one of the Hyuuga clan members deigned to look surprised when the mirror image of Hiashi rippled to reveal the Konoha coven leader mimicking his position. The mirror's surface around her was a mass of swirling silver magick.

Tsunade scowled at Hiashi, "About time too. Who is with you?"

"Everyone, like you asked," replied the Hyuuga leader.

"Good, that will save repeating myself." She looked harassed as she glanced over her shoulder and briefly snapped at someone, her voice sounding far away and illegible until she turned back to address the congregation. "Last night the coven was attacked," Naruto's chest went cold and there were several gasps that Tsunade didn't hear as she continued. "We have long expected this, our weakness as it is during the demon's hour. It appears they finally felt confident enough to press their advantage. They breeched our defences via the club, Tenzou was on door duty." Naruto glanced sideways at Sasuke who's face was momentarily tense and wondered again why Juugo had come to Evergreen Forest. "He raised the alarm and we were able to barricade the entrance sufficiently. But unfortunately the attack was coordinated at the very beginning of the demon's hour and it was obvious we could not hold off their numbers for long even with the Hunt watchers congregated. We have been forced to flee."

"The tunnels?" asked Hiashi quietly, he was apparently also in shock.

"Yes, the sewer escape routes were probably what saved our lives. We have dispersed among the city's safe-houses for now. The labyrinth is on full magickal lock-down so any sensitive material should be safe until we can regain our ground. I am recalling all coven bound hunters to the city. I respect that you must guard your own borders and flesh, Hiashi, but I need your assurance?"

Naruto looked intensely at the part of Hiashi's face he could see, as everyone waited for his answer in tense silence. The stoic leader looked both thoughtful and pressured. "The Hyuuga clan will answer your call should this situation... escalate."

Tsunade nodded, "Thank you. For now ensuring the safety of civilians is our top priority, our second being to strike back. We must not appear weak, a shift in the balance could prove fatal for hunters further afield than our own coven. I have alerted a large portion of the network, the news will be spread along the correct channels, hunter's all over the city will be on their guard."

"Exactly how spacious are your safe-houses?" asked Hiashi somewhat stiffly.

For the first time Tsunade faltered, "They will suffice."

Naruto felt Sasuke stiffen at his side but when he studied his partner's solemn features they gave away nothing. Still Naruto had the feeling his brain was working overtime, his eyes had the glazed effect of someone who was rapidly analysing information and even... scheming? Naruto resolved to ask him later and restlessly waited for the meeting to end.

As soon as Hiashi let go of the magickal mirror at the end of their conversation Tsunade faded out of sight and the regular reflection of the room swam into view. From that moment everyone burst into action. The hunters split in the directions of their respective cabins to pack their bags and Naruto saw Neji disappear into the corridors of the Hyuuga home with Shikamaru and Hinata in tow. The Hyuuga clan were also doing everything they could to help, the men helping to carry luggage and several of the women disappearing into the kitchen to prepare bento for everyone to replace the breakfast and lunch most where missing by now.

Naruto slung his laden bag over his shoulder and nudged his dagger back into place, a habit he had developed since carrying the weapon. As he was leaving the cabin for the last time Sasuke hurried along the path past his house. Naruto rolled his eyes and ran after him, he bet the bastard wouldn't have bothered coming to find him if they didn't happen to be ready at the same time.

**-0-**

Sasuke's mind was racing. Just when he was beginning to feel slightly positive about his future the city faced a threat stronger than any he'd seen. The force of the demon's attack last night must have really been something for Tsunade to back down. He knew she was a very strong hunter as well as a downright stubborn leader, it must have killed her to admit defeat.

He had been waiting in anticipation for the day they would return to the city, free hunters, ready to fight, but now the prospect was eating at him. Sasuke didn't want to think that something so permanent as the coven, had changed. So many hunters relied on that place, it was a safe-house, a place of refuge and a comfort zone. Yet in one night its pristine reputation had been besmirched by demon scum. Sasuke felt a surge of anger; that place was sacred, dammit!

His fingers clenched around the hilt of his sword; he couldn't wait to give those bloody demons the painful deaths they deserved.

Sasuke forced himself to let go of his anger as they reached the Hyuuga house but swore to call on it again when the time came to fight. Outside on the porch three hunters were having a rather heated argument, or at least it was heated by Hyuuga standards; Neji was bristling in anger, Hiashi was cold and determined and Hinata looked intensely uncomfortable.

"Your clan needs you," Hiashi was saying firmly.

"Not as much as Tsunade does," replied Neji, facing up to him in an aggressive manner Sasuke had never before witnessed him display.

"You would abandon us in this dangerous time?!" asked Hiashi, drawing himself up to his full, and very impressive, height.

"You are in very minimal danger; this place is as safe as it always was. We are needed in the city, I suspect our unique talents will be most useful."

Hiashi looked ready to forcibly forbid the pair from returning to the city when Hinata stepped between them. "Father," she said firmly, taking his hand in both of her own. "You know we must go, we are bound to the coven and our leader calls us to her service. I am sorry to leave you but I assure you, should our home be attacked, we will be the first to return."

Sasuke turned away as Hiashi looked from Hinata's pleading face to Neji's as he nodded in confirmation of her promise. Beside him Naruto was wearing a small smile. While Sasuke himself was less than interested in the complicated politics of the Hyuuga family he could see that Naruto had taken a liking to them even before their stay here. Sasuke did however know a little of the difficulties of juggling his own family's responsibilities; Itachi had often seemed torn between hunting for the Konoha coven and living at the Uchiha Estate. Their father had frequently spoken to him harshly when he had decided to stay away for nights at a time. At those times, Sasuke had missed him bitterly.

But Sasuke had been unwillingly freed from those responsibilities and harboured little sympathy for Neji and Hinata; they were taking far too long to say goodbye. He sighed impatiently and dodged as Naruto tried to elbow him in the side. Sasuke suppressed a smirk when he felt Neji scowl at him. Still they seemed to suddenly realise how long they'd been saying their touching goodbyes and the hunters were soon walking down the long path to the river with Hiashi watching from the entrance of the Hyuuga home.

When they reached the dubious bridge Sasuke carefully detached himself from his surroundings staring intensely at the messy way Naruto's hair stuck up at the back in every direction rather than straight like his own. Anything to avoid looking at the crashing river, half frozen but as relentless as before. All in all it was a relief to climb into the van that Juugo had driven here.

It was a spacious vehicle and Sasuke had seen it used for various hunting missions. They would drive up to the targets' hideout surveying the area through blacked out windows and then simultaneously throw the doors open and unleash an assault of armed hunters. Though Sasuke had always preferred to fight alone it was quite thrilling to watch a coordinated raid being pulled off with the utmost deadly precision.

Of course it was a sight rarely seen. They weren't the armed forces and therefore had no authority to carry out these 'raids' and that meant that to outsiders their 'for the safety of the people' raids looked more like sophisticated gang attacks. Still, Sasuke suspected that Tsunade's eventual plan to 'strike back' against the demons would involve a few of these raids and he was damn sure going to be a part of them. For once Tsunade would not be able to use the 'unstable' excuse to exclude him from any real coven business. Sasuke had never felt more centred and in control of himself. The minute he got back to Konoha he planned to talk to Tsunade.

**-0-**

"No."

Sasuke held back a snarl that was itching to break loose. He was standing in a tiny room that Tsunade was treating as her temporary office in one of the inner city watch houses. She was sitting at a computer desk piled with miniature models of old cars. Admittedly he had expected some resistance to his idea but he had hoped she would at least consider.

"Why not?! This is a perfectly logical suggestion. I mean come on, the watch houses are meant for the watchers, that's two people per tiny apartment, they are not built to hold the bulk of the coven residents. And besides the cramped living conditions we have no centre, no control base and definitely nowhere to train."

"It is a temporary measure until we can regain our territory!"

"Yes, but it doesn't need to be! My way would work, we would have room to regroup, plan, train and there are a lot of security measures on that place."

"Not if any demons took an interest when it was abandoned and you can bet they did. Give up, we will manage. Final answer: no. Send Sai in will you, I need to send updates to our people."

Sasuke opened his mouth to point out that Sai wouldn't be exhausted from sending his magickal animals as messengers if all the Hunters were together, but was immediately silenced and pushed out of her 'office'. He stood scowling in the hallway for a moment before stomping into the lounge where far too many people were sitting on one sofa and several more huddled on futons. He was almost crackling with angry electricity as he gave Sai the briefest 'get in there' hand gesture he could think of and left the ridiculously small apartment. She couldn't honestly expect them to live this cramped together for any period of time without going insane and killing one another.

Maybe it was just him. Maybe other people didn't need personal space.

"I assume it didn't go well."

"What tipped you off?" asked Sasuke sarcastically as his partner (it was strange to think of him like that) came and leant on the rail next to him.

Sasuke sighed as they watched the rain pour from an unseen sky into the tiny closed off courtyard that was designed to brighten the dingy tower block where Kotetsu and Izumo lived. Sasuke expected every one of the apartments here were as small and depressing as their particular one. It wasn't that he looked down on their meagre home he simply thought it was illogical to cram everybody into the pocket size apartments most hunters occupied when living above ground, when there was an abandoned settlement the size of a small village just outside the city. Not only was the Uchiha Estate completely empty, but it was spacious, hidden and since Sasuke owned the place; completely free.

"Want to blow off some steam?"

Naruto perked up immediately. "Sparring?"

"Idiot. We can't spar in this place, and goodness we can't even go hunting for 5 hours at least. I fancy going for a run."

"Really? Like running along roads, in shorts and a tank top, all sweaty, with people looking at you?"

"What do you do to work out then?"

"Er... I swim," said Naruto awkwardly.

Sasuke nodded as they both remembered the bridge incident and avoided each others gaze. He was glad Naruto was smart enough not to directly mention his more-sinking-than-swimming issue.

"So you have a problem with a tank top but not a Speedo?" Sasuke chided.

"I don't have a problem with a tank top, I have killer guns!" Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "But I'm not so sure on the little shorts. Also, I don't wear a Speedo... they're boxers."

"1. I don't care if there is an actual gun, never say 'guns' again, 2. The shorts prattle was totally hypocritical when you just admitted to wearing tight little swimming... boxers and 3. Only really pretentious assholes wear those disturbingly tiny shorts. I wear sweats, especially when it's winter. I cannot believe how much time I just wasted on this conversation, go swimming if you want, I'm going for a run."

Naruto gaped a little, "You know for a quiet guy, you bitch a lot." Sasuke glared and turned back to the apartment. "You'll get soaked if you go out right now," Naruto pointed out.

"It's more fun in the rain."

Ten minutes later when he'd finally managed to change in the privacy of the bathroom Sasuke emerged to find Naruto stood exactly where he had been before. He was wearing a Cagoule and certainly wasn't going to reveal that underneath the waterproof trousers he was in fact sporting cycling shorts. It was a matter of comfort after all. He also had his tantou strapped to his thigh but he wasn't going to reveal that either.

"Have fun finding a place on that couch," he said cheerily giving a careless over-the-shoulder wave as he headed for the stairwell.

Sasuke knew he was being overly mean to Naruto right now but he couldn't bring himself to care too much. He had only just gotten back to this city and already any calm and balance he had felt back in the high altitude reaches of Evergreen Forest were completely lost. He felt more uptight and bad-tempered than ever. So Sasuke did what he always did, he ran.

Running had always been a method of relaxation for Sasuke. He found it therapeutic to just run at a steady pace for as long as he could. He didn't force himself to move at any particular speed though he was quite confident that, if need be, he could outrun practically anyone, aside from Lee. Sasuke took a deep breath and tried to get his bearings, he didn't know this part of the city but they had passed through the suburbs to get here which suited Sasuke fine. He soon found himself in the quite suburban neighbourhood he had often run through. Sometimes it was nice to pretend that he lived in one of these houses, that he knew nothing about the war being fought over these streets, that life was simple.

But maybe that was wasn't for him. Sasuke's childhood had been far from normal; he knew nothing of school life, having been taught at home, he'd never socialised with normal kids and he'd been taught to fight for his life from the very beginning. Sasuke halted on the windswept pavement as rain pounded down on him. Looking at the quaint family homes he wondered what his life could have been like. Would his father have bought him his first bike, or would he still have been cold and dismissive? Would he have talked to the neighbours and made a friend? Would his brother have helped with his math homework? The life he could have had... maybe he'd have learnt to play an instrument... he'd always fancied the piano...

Sasuke shook his head and tore his eyes from what could have been. Where was all this coming from? His life hadn't been so bad... except the part where everyone had died. But still, he'd learnt to ride a bike eventually and Itachi had always helped him with his studies. And what was stopping him from learning the piano? He started running again, feet slapping against the wet pavement as he headed downhill. Maybe he would take up the piano some day, when the fighting was done. The trouble was, the fighting never stopped, it was an ongoing war. The only way it would end for him would be if he died in battle because Sasuke downright refused to opt out just because he wanted to have a life. After all, he still had someone to kill.

He had thought long and hard about Naruto's offer of help in his hunt for Madara. He appreciated the offer but the fact remained that he had no idea where Madara was, there was no way Sasuke would sit around in the coven if he knew where the bastard was. He had always seen this as his own personal mission, as the last Uchiha it was his duty to succeed where Itachi had failed. His desire to return to the Uchiha Estate was not merely fuelled by a need to be at home; he hoped to find some clue to Madara's identity there. The man was an anomaly. Try as he might, Sasuke had been unable to find any mention of him in the extensive coven records, nor had he appeared in any Hyuuga account, in desperation Sasuke had even trawled the city library. But according to every record Madara didn't exist. It was frustrating but Sasuke felt if he only had the man's surname he could find him.

In that respect Naruto's help was rather useless. It didn't matter how interesting he was or how strong a fighter he was sure to become; the guy wasn't good with books or research. If Sasuke managed to find his target, he may well take Naruto along. Sasuke had grown over the years and he knew that strong as he was, he wasn't indestructible. Much as it pained him to even think of admitting it, an extra fighter would probably help. Besides he was supposed to trust Naruto now, right?

By the time Sasuke reached the city park where he was headed the rain had almost stopped. He slowed to walk absently along the pathways beneath dripping trees. Most of the trees were bare for winter but the park still had the fresh scent of recent rainfall. Sasuke breathed deeply, this was his favourite place in the city, it was a peaceful haven in the middle of a grey and polluted landscape. He made a note to bring Naruto here, he would probably enjoy it and on brighter days it was one of the best places in the city to see the sun. The park big enough that the neighbouring skyscrapers never really managed to cast a shadow over it's centre.

Sighing softly, Sasuke checked the time. It was still several hours before he could really go hunting. Time to go back to the flat, take a shower and have a rest before setting out. He didn't feel comfortable taking a nap in front of anyone so any tiredness he felt from switching back to nocturnal life would be put on hold for now. That wasn't so hard; the city had filled him once more with restless energy.

**-0-**

Naruto had decided against sitting around the small flat. Interesting as it might be to try and overhear the planning going on nearby. Shikamaru was deep in discussion with the watchers, Kotetsu and Izumo, and Neji who had just arrived after making sure Hinata was safe in Kakashi's apartment. Kakashi had also appeared with him and had been ushered into Tsunade's makeshift office. Still the most interesting thing Naruto had found to watch had been Sai and Karin sending out Tsunade's updates to the coven's hunters hiding all over the city. He hadn't seen Sai's power at work yet but it was utterly strange. Naruto had watched as the pale man drew the form of a cat in simple lines of pure silvery magick with just his fingertips in midair. The strange creatures he created were solid beings of glowing magick until Karin touched them. Apparently she could use her power on others because the various animals he drew changed instantly to look like real cats, dogs and rats before running off to deliver their messages. Naruto wondered briefly if the creations talked.

"That would be a sight," he muttered as he walked out of the crowded apartment.

As Naruto wandered downhill towards the east side of the city he thought about Sasuke. He was curious to know where Sasuke had gone on his run. Naruto had always thought of running as a very boring sport, all that repetition. A lot of the time he found swimming too repetitive, he only really did it to keep in shape and for the funny weightless feeling he gained when underwater. Naruto was the kind of person who needed variety and excitement, which was exactly why he skateboarded. Problem was his skateboard had been consumed in his 'house fire'.

He would have to ask Sasuke what hunters did to earn a bit of cash. Naruto had noticed that none of the people at the coven seemed to have jobs outside of their hunting duties. But he would dearly like to buy a new skateboard. He could go down to the skate park and tear it up a little, maybe even see some of his old friends. They had rather lost touch after Jiraiya's death had forced him to take on extra work.

Naruto stopped and checked his watch. Plenty of time. With a sudden grin he altered his course. The rain had nearly stopped and sunlight was peaking through the cloud cover. He had time to kill and Naruto planned to make the most of this; the first time he was allowed to walk above ground in the city, like a free man. He patted his dagger through his coat, he was safe. Sasuke had told him to run if he came across a dangerous opponent but it was still daytime and he was nowhere near the overrun coven, he was unlikely to meet anyone.

The skate park was familiar and just the sight of the graffitied obstacles made him smile. This place was a piece of his old life. Naruto had spent so many afternoons after school hanging out here. He ran up the side of the half pipe and propped himself against the railings at the top.

"Hey! You better pull out some wheels dude, this is a skate park!"

Naruto looked around, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Lend me some?"

There was a shrill cry of, "Naruto-kun!" and Moegi reached up to hug him from behind through the railings.

"Long time no see, boss man."

"You too Konohamaru. Where's Udon?" Naruto asked, noting the absence of the snivelly kid.

"Says he can't deal with the rain," said Konohamaru dismissing his missing comrade with an eye roll. "Where you been? You just completely disappeared, so not cool."

"Yeah we missed you!" added Moegi climbing up next to Naruto.

"Ah, I had a few things to take care of, been working hard, you know..." he said awkwardly, lifting a hand to scratch the back of his neck.

"Must have been earning a fair bit," said Konohamaru, tugging on Naruto's leather coat and eyeing him up and down.

Naruto was suddenly glad he'd worn his old converse shoes rather than his boots. He'd never been able to afford clothes like these before, usually wearing second hand stuff that never fitted quite right.

"Heh, yeah I've been doing okay," he said quickly changing the subject as he grabbed Konohamaru's skateboard off him. "What you guys been up to?"

"Oh nothing much," said Konohamaru as he watched Naruto drop in. "Done with koutougakkou(3) now so I'm working for gramps down on the docks."

"That's good."

"Yeah, I got a pretty sweet deal. Got my own place over one of the small warehouses, rent free too since I'm there as 'security'," he said with air quotes.

"How about you Moegi?"

"Eh, I opted to take a year out before uni but I'm not sure if I'll bother going back to education. I got a pretty cool job spraying cars down at Cheng's garage."

"That Chinese guy? Cool, you always were the artsy one."

"Yeah. Hey did you see Gaara while he was in town?"

Naruto tripped off the skateboard and narrowly avoided kissing the concrete. "Gaara was here?!"

"A few weeks back, he did say he'd look you up."

"Er... yeah, I've been a little out of the loop. I suppose he's back in Suna by now?"

"Yeah, he left you his number though," Moegi dug a rumpled post-it out of her wallet and handed it over. "He said you guys have been out of touch for a long time."

"Yeah we have..."

"Didn't have a bitch fight did you?" asked Konohamaru with a wicked grin.

Naruto flushed red with memories of his last encounter with Gaara. "No, we just drifted apart and decided against carrying on. The distance was hard on both of us."

"Aw," cooed Moegi.

She had always found Naruto's relationship with Gaara touching, whereas Konohamaru thought it a topic worthy of teasing comments at every opportunity. It had been a long time since they had eventually decided it wasn't working anymore. Their 'relationship' had been dysfunctional from the word 'go'. Gaara had been suffering from severe insomnia which tended to make him just a tad bad tempered and psychopathic. It had taken a while for him to realise that Naruto wouldn't be scared away by his hard ass attitude and even longer than that before he'd actually hold a conversation. In the end they didn't bother with a lot of conversation.

"Well I should get going," said Naruto, handing back the skateboard with some regret.

"Already?" whined Moegi.

"Yeah sorry sweetie, I've erm, got the night shift," lied Naruto.

"You haven't even told us what you do yet!"

"Another time, I really got to go," he said, walking away from them.

"Fine! But don't forget to call Gaara!" she shouted after him.

Promising he would, Naruto gave the pair a last sad wave. It had been nice to see them again but it reminded him that his hunter's oath had also bound him to secrecy. He'd have to think up a cover story if he wanted to bump into them again. Naruto fingered the dagger at his hip; he supposed this new life had it's up and downs, like lying to his friends. He'd call Gaara some other time; he didn't feel like lying again right now.

* * *

(1) Toumoku : leader, chief, head

(2) Yeah I know Tsunade's surname isn't really Senju, but since that's her grandfather's name it's the only one I've got, I didn't really want to revert to using 'Sannin' as a surname.

(3) Senior High School ages 15-18

**A/N:** Like, Yay or Nay? I make no promises on chapter length they really just come out however long they go on for ^^;

-Yasu


	22. On The Streets

**A/N:** *strikes a pose* "To the streets!"

* * *

"Okay, before we even get on the street: basic checks," said Sasuke briskly stopping in the hallway after checking up and down. "Watch? Weapons? Wallet? Identification? Earpiece? Phone?"

Naruto nodded along, "Do I really have to wear this thing?" he asked, fumbling with the earpiece; it was really rather uncomfortable.

"No, baka," replied Sasuke as he snatched it out of Naruto's ear none too gently. "You don't put it in until we get separated, it's not even active!"

"Oh... Also I don't have a phone."

"You don't have ID either."

"I... don't?"

"No, I took them out of your wallet. This is your new ID and debit card, the PIN number is your real birthday."

He handed Naruto several cards including a drivers licence with completely fake details. Naruto looked at it, shocked. The picture was the same he had on his old ID but everything else wasn't him.

"It's your new identity, learn it well. We'll get you a passport too, just in case."

"How?"

"Shikamaru's dad takes care of our identities, as well as those of hunters across several other cities, he's an important guy."

Naruto read his ID again. "Tachibana Nikkou?" Sasuke made a small affirmative noise and Naruto looked up at him. "Did you choose it?"

Sasuke nodded awkwardly and Naruto beamed at him. For a moment he looked like he was considering something before he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss on Sasuke's cheek which immediately heated up.

"Thank you," said Naruto quietly after giving the tense man a quick hug.

"No problem," said Sasuke.

In truth he was quite relieved Naruto liked it. When Shikamaru had asked him what his partner's cover name was going to be he had panicked and, not wanting to appear unprepared, had quickly conjured 'Nikkou' from his memories of Naruto. He had later worried that something like 'sunlight' wasn't really an appropriate name for a hunter, or a boy, it wasn't even a real name for that matter. But then again, neither was 'Naruto'. Well as long as Naruto didn't mind it was okay. Besides, Sasuke's own cover name was just as embarrassing thanks to Itachi. His brother's excuse had been that people were more likely to believe he hadn't chosen the name himself if it was a bit humiliating.

Digging in his coat pocket he pulled out a mobile phone, checked it wasn't his and handed it over. "There should be a chip in that earpiece, take it out and slot it into the phone." Naruto did as he was told to activate the ear piece. "Now it'll just work like a hands free. If we get separated we can just open a call channel."

Naruto laughed, "Awesome, secret agent stuff."

Sasuke shot him a stern look. "This isn't a game, and we're not agents. We're not even hunting tonight," he said as they took the stairs.

"What? Come on Sasuke, I'll be good!" Naruto promised, running after him.

"It's not about being good; this is your first night on the streets, so I'll basically be giving you the guided tour. I noticed Shikamaru only provided you with a motorcycle licence so I'm assuming you can't drive a car?"

"Nah, Jiraiya always said motorbikes were better so he never taught me anything else."

"Well my brother would have agreed with him, so I'm all for motorbikes myself. They're faster, more manoeuvrable, better for a quick getaway and I don't know if you've ever tried to swing a sword out of a car window but I wouldn't recommend it. I am learning to drive a car but as yet do not have a licence so we'll take our tour on bikes." He took a sharp turn out of the building and started briskly down the street. "It would appear the demons who took over the coven did not realise that there was a garage across the road with most of our vehicles in so we paid an innocent civilian to move them to his warehouse. He and his security staff think it's a temporary base for a rental company."

They stopped at a bus stop for a few minutes. "Any questions?" said Sasuke, checking the timetable.

"What's the name on your licence?"

Sasuke straightened, giving him an appraising look. "Chidori Getsuei, my brother chose it." He could tell Naruto was in two minds about asking the name's origin because it concerned his brother so he decided to volunteer the information. "He always said my lightening sounded like a thousand birds chirruping."

Naruto looked surprised and immediately tried to cover up. "It does?" he asked as though trying to imagine it.

"When I gather a lot of really concentrated magick in one hand." Sasuke quickly cut off further questions when an old lady joined them. "No talking on public transport; it's not safe," he muttered to Naruto as the bus arrived.

They sat near the door, Sasuke tense and listening. He didn't trust public transport though he knew some fighters from outside the coven used the bus routes and subways as a hunting ground; stalking suspicious people from the vehicles. He was always wary therefore of interfering with another hunter's prey. Those who were not bound by the rules of the coven were sometimes less than friendly.

The pair left the bus at the beginning of the warehouse district near the docks. Here many storage companies made their living off of the ships that came to Konoha. The warehouse the coven were using already had a collection of speedboats near the doors. Naruto waited in the shadow of '_My Grey Lady_' whilst Sasuke sought out the warden.

"We've come to borrow a few motorbikes kept here in the Senju name," Sasuke's voice was saying.

"Rental all paid for? ...I'll need proof for that."

Naruto stiffened, he knew that voice. Panicking slightly he searched for a way out. He couldn't very well leave Sasuke here but it wouldn't do to be seen. Before he could get more than two steps towards the door, Sasuke had leaned around the corner of the boat.

"Come on," he said, waving him over.

Naruto shook his head rapidly, wide eyes trying to convey his wish to escape. But it was too late, the warehouse warden looked over Sasuke's shoulder, surprise registering on his boyish features.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?"

"Hi Konohamaru," said Naruto with an attempt at surprise.

Sasuke was looking between the two with a blank expression and Naruto silently prayed his partner was better at lying that he was. Of all the warehouses in this expansive district, it had to be this one.

Konohamaru frowned, "I thought you were working tonight?"

"He is," said Sasuke flatly. Naruto held his breath in anticipation. "He's my bodyguard."

"Your bodyguard?" asked Konohamaru.

"Yes," Sasuke's confident tone would almost have had Naruto believing him. "It's a drag but my mother worries about father's business deals so I bear with it, for her piece of mind," drawled Sasuke in a voice reminicent of a spoiled child from a rich family.

For a moment Naruto feared Konohamaru wouldn't buy it. He was a smart guy and Naruto didn't think he'd have been able to scramble a story like that together so quickly. But Konohamaru nodded slowly, looking at Naruto for confirmation.

Naruto smiled at him, "Cool huh?"

His friend grinned in return, "Very cool."

After that close call Konohamaru left them and the hunters headed for the back of the warehouse where the coven's cars were kept. The first motorbike Naruto spotted was the big black one he had seen just before leaving for Evergreen Forest. He hurried over immediatly and ran his fingers along the silver lines of its sleek paintwork.

"Hands off, that one's mine," said Sasuke coming up behind him.

"Aw no way, who says?"

"I say."

"I thought they all belonged to the coven?"

"Not that one, or that black convertable over there. They belong to the Uchiha family, namely: me. I sold off most of the clans vehicles but..." he hesitated for a second, "Itachi had good taste."

Naruto smiled, "He certainly did."

He walked over to the black sports car next to Sasuke's gorgeous bike. If he could drive; he would want to drive this, he thought, enviously eyeing the deep red leather interior. Then again the blue motorbike Sasuke pointed him to was pretty sweet as well. Okay, so it wasn't the heavenly ride Sasuke's looked to be, but it was still damn cool. Also it looked fast, very fast.

"Now would be a good time to use that earpiece," said Sasuke as he changed his coat for bike leathers from the lockers. "This way we'll be able to talk as we drive."

Sasuke threw Naruto the keys of his new vehicle and they pulled their helmets on. The motorbike engines roared into life as they left the static silence of the warehouse for the chill winds of the street. Naruto was very glad of the shelter his stiff bike leathers provided as he followed Sasuke's tail light. They drove first through the warehouse district to the docks.

"_Not one of the most popular hunting grounds for parasites, but recently there has been a bit more activity. You'd have to ask Kiba for more information but it looks to be demons. Kiba and his partner Shino live down here and both specialize in tracking and surrveillance so they're our eyes and ears in this area," _Sasuke's voice was slightly muffled through the earpiece but he was still easy to understand.

Naruto nodded along before realising Sasuke couldn't see him. He remembered Hinata calling Kiba during the journey to the Hyuuga residence so that he could respond to a disturbance in that area.

"_What's Shino's specialty?_" Naruto asked.

"_Ah he's got a bit of a way with animals, especially insects. Bit of a creepy guy really. But you can see how he would be good at watching over such a large area. He's got spys everywhere. Still, no one is able to rival Kiba when it comes to tracking. Thanks to his unique abilities he is often paired with Neji when we need to find a particular enemy."_

_"How does that work out?" _asked Naruto, a hint of laughter in his voice.

_"For the most part, they are civil."_

Naruto smiled at Sasuke's ability to bypass such a humorous opportunity, he was willing to bet that an atmosphere of thinly disguised hatred surrounded any assignment where Kiba and Neji were forced to work together.

As they drove their way across most of the city Sasuke was diligent in pointing out every place of particular importance from Kakashi's apartment opposite the police station where his boyfriend was chief to the headquarters of the Majo Buke. Naruto thought they could almost have gotten away with parking up outside the pub; the swinging sign had a picture of a Harley Davidson motorbike and the large beer garden turned car park in front of the place was full of motorbikes and their leathered up drivers. However Naruto didn't feel like chancing it; even if most of the eyes that watched them pass were apprieciative, he didn't think they would really fit in with the burly men. For a start neither of them had beards or tattoos. At least he didn't think Sasuke had a tattoo... somehow he didn't seem like the type.

"_Are you listening?"_

Naruto suddenly realised that they had left the Majo Buke far behind and Sasuke had been talking to him for a while now.

"_Repeat it?"_ he asked hopefully.

Sasuke gave a tortured sigh and launched back into an explaination of how most hunters weren't overly friendly towards others. "_Mainly because the danger that they might not be who they say they are."_

"_But surely it would be obvious if they had glowing red eyes?"_

_"If Karin can give herself fangs and shiny silver eyes I'm willing to bet there's a demon out there who can look perfectly normal. Besides it's not uncommon for demon's to use civilians for their dirty deeds. I mean we use them as watchers and such, though I'd add that we are rather more honorable in our uses. Demons are not so moral and so normal people have found themselves caught up in unresolved debts and blackmail scandals."_

_"Why would Karin give herself fangs?"_

There was a short pause that could have been interpreted as Sasuke concentrating on his driving. "_Who knows,"_ he said with the verbal equivilent of a nochalant shrug.

"_You know,"_ replied Naruto immediatly.

"_So?_"

"_You're not supposed to know are you?"_

_"Why does it matter?"_

_"Is she up to something bad? Nothing illegal is it? Or perhaps immoral?"_

_"No. It's a mission."_

_"Oh, what?"_

_"None of your business," _Sasuke replied tersely.

"_But I'm your partner! It's not like I'd rat you out."_

Naruto's earpiece was silent for a long time. Then, "_I was actually supposed to meet Suigetsu tonight. Obviously I can't talk to Karin while she's in character, it's too dangerous, but Suigetsu hinted that soemthing might be going down, you know what a terrible gossip he is. Ironically the only time I can speak safely with either of them is when they're on duty."_

Naruto followed Sasuke closely as they drove into the red light district and parked up in an alleyway that stunk of rubbish and urine. Sasuke dismounted and pulled off his helmet.

"He should be around here somewhere..._"_ He pulled out his phone and disconnected from Naruto in order to call Suigetsu. Their conversation was a brief exchange before he turned back to Naruto. "I'm going to meet him, this shouldn't take too long. Reopen our call channel and stay here."

"Lovely," said Naruto, looking around at the dingy alleyway.

"You wanted to come."

With that Sasuke left and Naruto stood alone in the cold. It was a little past midnight so there were still quite a few people hurrying down the icy streets. Snow seemed to have decided to give this year a miss and Konoha had instead been treated to spates of rain and sleet, not to mention bitingly cold winds. Standing here now it was hard to imagine that tomorrow was Christmas Eve; the red light district was not exactly bursting with Christmas cheer, though he had seen lights throughout most of the city. Naruto had never really celebrated Christmas with Jiraiya, the old man usually gave him a signed copy of one of his perverted books and let him order whatever he wanted from their collection of take out menus. He had always taken that to be Jiraiya's general cheap nature but now he thought about it maybe it was just because Jiraiya, like most hunters, didn't really celebrate Christmas. After all, the man had always made a bit more effort on his birthdays.

As Naruto pondered this possiblity a shout from nearby caused him to jump. He looked over his shoulder into the depths of the alley just in time to see a distressed man come running around the corner. The red haired man, dressed flamboyantly in an indigo velvet suit came streaking towards him. But barely a second later had fallen flat on his face as the tongue of a leather whip wrapped itself firmly around his ankle. Naruto looked up from the man groaning in agony at his feet to see a petite woman running towards him in thigh high stiletto boots and a very short kimono. She wasted no time kneeling on his back as the man tried to stand and Naruto watched in shock as she pulled a hypodermic needle from her volumous sleeve and stabbed him in the side of the neck with it. As he went limp she turned her silvery eyes upwards and grinned, flashing pointy teeth.

"Hello Naruto, fancy meeting you here."

Naruto stammered in surprise for a moment until the woman's haughty features began to soften somewhat, her eyes lost their silvery glow and her hair changed from black to a distinctive pink.

"Karin," Naruto sighed in relief. "I'm waiting for Sasuke while he talks to Suigetsu."

"Ah yes," she lifted the mans eyelids briefly before standing. "He did say he couldn't make it because of everything that's been going on but I guess he found a way around it."

"Yeah," Naruto hesitated for a moment, "Erm... is he dead?" he nodded at the prone man.

"Nah, he's needed for questioning," Karin gave the man a disgusted look that clearly displayed her disappointment as she coiled the length of her blacksnake whip. "Shame really, I would have delighted in killing him. Four months of putting up with his perverted bullshit and when he finally susses out I'm milking him, he had the cheek to try and run for it. Pathetic really. Would you mind moving him up? Just prop him up against the wall, it looks a little less incriminating."

While Naruto dragged the man into a sitting position Karin called her partner to bring the car around. When Suigetsu pulled up by the entrance to the alley Sasuke was with him. He got out of the car and looked the man over with distaste.

"Is that the vampire?"

"Yeah, weedy thing isn't he. Suigetsu shove him in the car will you."

"Yes, your highness."

Naruto quickly helped Suigetsu lift the man into the boot and cuff his hands together while Karin and Sasuke began a quiet conversation. Naruto immediatly strained his hunter hearing to listen in.

"Find out anything interesting?" Sasuke was asking in a monotone.

"He'll probably be more willing to talk once Ibiki puts him through the works." Naruto glanced over in time to see her smile cryptically. "Yes, I know what you're after Sasuke-kun. And all I can say is: we're closing in.

"So you were chosen for that task?"

"Naturally."

With that she brushed past Sasuke and got into the car. Naruto watched Suigetsu drive away.

"What task?"

Naruto expected to be scolded again about his eavesdropping habits but apparently Sasuke had assumed he was listening in.

"Karin is one of the hunters currently gathering information on Madara."

"Madara? So she can help us?"

"No," Sasuke frowned, "Everyone involved has been given strict orders to keep me out of the loop."

"What about me? If I could-"

"No one would fall for that, they know you are too are to close to me.

"So what can we do?"

Sasuke looked troubled for a moment. "I'll think of something."

Naruto nodded, he trusted that if anyone could find a way of bending the rules, Sasuke could. He had always known that the Uchiha was uptight and had assumed this also meant he was adverse to breaking the rules. However more recently he had been forced to recognise that his partner had a devious side. Unlike Naruto, who would have thrown caution to the wind if his interests conflicted with the rules, Sasuke preferred a more tactical approach. However, one thing was certain: Sasuke would have his own way.

* * *

**A/N:** Can someone tell me if the bodyguard cover story is at all plausible?

Ta

-Yasu


	23. Home Sweet Home

**A/N:** Ah I'm really sorry this took so long, for some reason I thought I had already uploaded this chapter, but then I took a look today and it wasn't there! I am such a ditz sometimes! ^^; Enjoy!

* * *

Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose and heaved an exasperated sigh. It had been a hell of a night. When they had lost the coven, the Hunt's position of authority seemed to have slipped. The demon's influence was everywhere; her people were feeling the strain and in turn, so was she. More and more hunters had been coming back from a night's patrol with injuries of some kind, primarily from the out of control werewolf population. Many of the coven's best were currently in bed with the high fever that racked a hunter's body for several weeks after werewolf contamination and one had been lost forever. Like the werewolves, increasing their numbers seemed to be the primary goal for Konoha's vampire population and just this week Tsunade had received word of succubi related deaths in both Suna and Oto, whilst, all over the city, children were disappearing and all the evidence pointed toward hags, a subspecies that had not been sighted for many decades. Likewise, a fabled banshee had been spotted by Naruto and Sasuke who had been forced to make a run for it. Banshees were extremely dangerous and supposedly extinct; they hadn't stood a chance.

It was chaos and Tsunade was forced to admit that her hunters were not trained to deal with it. None of them had experience with these foe and they were dealing with the situation badly. Due to the city's state of emergency Tsunade had been fielding questions, arguments and accusations from every angle in the past two weeks. It was hard to believe that things had grown this out of hand so quickly.

It was also too much to hope that the civilian population of Konoha would not notice the evil that was treating Konoha as it's feeding ground. That was the issue that had been discussed today at Kakashi's and Iruka's apartment. Their place was bigger than Kotetsu and Izumo's home. Tsunade had invited the leaders of the few hunter organisations in Konoha to discuss the dire situation. As Shikamaru had predicted, most of them were willing to recognise just how important the coven safe house had been now that it was her fault it was lost. The Majo Buke chieftain had been eager to reprimand Tsunade for her decision to flee on the night of the winter solstice. According to him it was not the lives of her people she was trying to protect but her own.

Tsunade groaned at the memory of Kakashi's lover standing up and informing them that as the newly appointed Chief of Police he was highly concerned with the safety of the civilian population. He had looked extremely stressed out and very upset about the fact that his people were in mortal danger and he couldn't help them.

At that moment a disturbance caused her to look up; someone was shouting in the living room. Then her door was flung open of reveal a distraught Kiba carrying a fitting Hinata. Leaping into action Tsunade had him lay the girl on the bed.

"It was hag!" choked Kiba, his teary eyes wide and panicked. "Hinata tried to help this old woman up and I-I don't know what happened!" he wailed hysterically.

"Yes, yes," said Tsunade impatiently waving for a hovering Shizune to take him away and reaching for her medicine case.

As Kiba was led away with much resistance, Tsunade set to work. Luckily she was one of the few people who had lived long enough to have encountered a hag before. The treatment for such an ailment was just as archaic as the beast itself. However, with Tsunade's own gift she felt she could make some improvements. A hag was an old woman revived by demonic magicks and was sometimes known as a nightmare spirit. Hinata had the appearance of someone who had only recently been trapped in the confines of her own mind which meant she could be freed.

Tsunade quickly undid Hinata's thick coat so that she could reach the girl's pendant. As she had expected the kiyo crystal had grown dull due to the hag's ancient magick. Without hesitation Tsunade directed a rush of magick into the protective amulet to combat the evil magick moving through Hinata's shaking body. Then she took a smudge stick of Artemensia from her medicine case and lit it. With the sage smouldering she waved the smoke under Hinata's nose. As soon as the cleansing smoke had permeated her nostrils the girl gave one last, violent shudder and then lay still.

Sighing in relief, Tsunade laid the smudge stick on a plate on the bedside table. That was as far as traditional medicine went when it came to freeing the victim from their nightmares. Sometimes it took as long as six months to wake from the coma induced by a hag's magick. But that was unnecessary where Tsunade was involved. Placing her fingertips at her patient's temples she sent slow pulses of invigorating healing magick into her brain and within five minutes Hinata's eyelids flickered open.

Tsunade opened the bedroom door and watched as Kiba rushed past to kneel at Hinata's side. And then as Neji pushed him out of the way to check her over himself. She smiled to herself. This was the kind of satisfied feeling that made her glad she had endured years of medical training. Yet despite the fact that she could very easily take employment in a city hospital and save peoples lives everyday, she chose to look after these people.

Shikamaru leant against the doorframe to watch his boyfriend fuss over Hinata. "You look sad," he commented casually.

Sighing, Tsunade nodded. "I think I'm getting to old for this."

"Toumoku is an exhausting role but now more than ever, we need a strong leader."

"I know. But when this is done, it'll be my time to step down. Kakashi is the obvious choice for the next coven leader."

"He will do a fine job. But what will you do?"

Tsunade looked thoughtfully at Hinata for a moment. "I'd rather like to become a full time doctor. But the problem with that is I can't just use magick to heal someone in a hospital and I don't think I could stand by whilst conventional medicine fails knowing that I could save them by risking exposure."

"Didn't there used to be a healing unit for magical injuries in the city?" said Shikamaru, his voice was still casual but Tsunade got the impression he was probing.

"The Uchiha Centre for Magickal Healing. It was closed when there were no longer any Uchiha left to run it." Tsunade looked Shikamaru in the eye. "You think I should ask Sasuke if I can reopen it."

Shikamaru nodded slowly. "However, it is Sasuke so I'd expect some bargaining."

"Naturally," said Tsunade, glancing around the cramped apartment. "Well, he's not the only one with spatial issues. I'm sure we can reach an agreement."

**-0-**

They stood in a spacious, ground floor apartment in a quiet part of the city. It had quite clearly been empty for some time. Blinds were drawn over the windows and sheets covered the hospital beds and machinery that filled the large main room. Sasuke watched as Tsunade flitted around, lifting sheets and checking machinery. He saw her smile as she spotted the bedroom and kitchen that had been used by his aunt who had once lived here. The furnishings in the side rooms were more homey and comfortable than the main room and study where patients had been treated. Sasuke followed her into the study and frowned as she began routing through the books and scrolls stacked neatly there.

"Why did you want to see this place?" he asked when his impatience could no longer be kept at bay.

She looked at him before pulling the dust cover off of the desk chair and sitting down. "As you pointed out earlier the Hunt would benefit from a base. Something more spacious than our current arrangement."

Sasuke wondered for a brief moment if she planned to move them into this place; it was a decent apartment but the Hunt was far too big. But then he realised what she was suggesting and surprise flickered over Sasuke's face; he had never known Tsunade to cave on anything before. Naturally he was suspicious.

"The coven is relocating to the Uchiha estate?" he clarified.

"On a temporary basis, if the scouting team finds it secure."

"I'll need to be on the scouting team," Tsunade looked ready to refuse so he continued. "Only an Uchiha can get past our protective enchantments."

"Fine, but you are to follow Neji's command at all times, is that understood?"

Sasuke nodded stiffly and silence fell between them. Tsunade leant back in the comfy chair and surveyed the study while Sasuke stood waiting impatiently.

"Was that all or did you actually have a reason for bringing me here? I can't imagine it was simply for that little chat."

"No it wasn't." She took a slow breath, "I would like your permission to reopen this place as a magickal healing facility for anyone who has need of it."

Sasuke was caught by surprise, "Why?" he blurted.

"Aside from the fact that there is no decent place where one can readily find magickal healing and that having somewhere like this will save lives?" Tsunade paused for a moment, "See it as a retirement project. I am somewhat older than I appear and it will soon be my time to step down from the stressful duty of being the coven leader."

Sasuke said nothing for a moment. He doubted there would ever be a more perfect opportunity to get the information he craved. Even if she refused he would give her this place; she was right about the benefits of a healing centre, this place needed minimal work and it meant nothing to him.

"How about you tell me what you know about Madara?"

Tsunade gave him a calculating look. He thought she was trying to work out how he knew they were after Madara but he was giving nothing away. Sasuke wasn't about to stitch up his friends; he'd let her think he had taken a guess rather than get Suigetsu in trouble.

"I can't do that Sasuke."

Her flat reply was expected but Sasuke still felt a strong stab of disappointment. He opened his mouth to try every type of reasonable argument and coercion he could think of but she cut him off.

"I can, however, give you the chance to kill him."

Sasuke stared at her in shock. He was lost for words and wondering what kind of miraculous change had come over Tsunade to make her so agreeable. She smiled at him in an almost parental manner.

"You are a strong hunter and since you have your powers under control now, I think you would be a valuable asset to the team. I can not simply give you all our information at the risk of you running off half cocked but I can place you in a strong position to defeat him."

Sasuke nodded at the logical assessment. "Okay, I will transfer legal ownership of this place to you."

"Thank you, I think I'll stay here and familiarise myself. The scouting mission will take place tomorrow daytime, get some sleep and be ready at 7am. Tell Naruto that his skills are required, he will make searching the place much quicker." Sasuke nodded and turned to leave. "Oh and Sasuke, for the record I had hoped the holiday would do you good but I admit even I was pleasantly surprised at how much you have improved," she said sincerely.

"Thank you," he replied.

Only after he had left the premises did Sasuke wonder whether she had indeed been referring solely to his magickal control.

**-0-**

At half past 7 the next morning Naruto was sitting in the back of the Yamato's favourite old jeep playing with and being slobbered on by Akamaru. Kiba laughed as his dog once again licked Naruto on the face. Naruto cringed and pushed the beast away while Sasuke sniggered from his safe and dry seat in the front next to Neji who was driving.

They were speeding along a straight road through the moorland commonly referred to as the Misty Moors to the north of Konoha City. Quite predictably the moorland was misty. Actually, Naruto thought, it had started off as 'misty', but the further they travelled from Konoha the more it looked like dense fog. It was rather miserable really.

"Where exactly is the Uchiha estate?" Neji asked quietly. "Your clan were always so secretive I confess myself surprised at your choice to offer us residence."

"What do you know about Kikyo Castle?"

"It's not that far from here, practically falling from the high cliffs, owned by an apparently eccentric old man who has restored the parts that haven't already been claimed by the ocean. What of it?" Neji glanced at Sasuke who was smirking slightly.

"Yes, my grandfather played the part of 'eccentric' very well, but then he was a little crazy."

"Surely not..."

"Do you see any other buildings on this godforsaken moorland?"

"I had wondered... if the Uchiha clan did not live underground as we do in the city."

Sasuke looked mildly repulsed by the idea. "There are dungeons if you develop an allergy to sunlight."

"Not that you'll get much sunlight with this stifling fog," Neji pointed out.

"Actually the fog rarely touches the fortress," retorted Sasuke. "Turn here," he added as they approached the first turning since they had left Konoha.

At the side of the road was a sign hammered into the ground: 'Private Property: Trespassers will be shot'. They headed east for barely two minutes before the fog cleared and Kikyo Castle became visible. Naruto had of course heard about the place, everyone had, but he only knew enough about its existence not to go near it lest the crazy old codger shoot at you. When the castle loomed into view he wasn't the only one looking up in awe. Kikyo Castle was beyond any building Naruto had seen in his lifetime, an impressive feature with sloping walls jutting upwards so high that the only visible part of the buildings inside was a single tower. However as they drew closer the castle's state of disrepair became obvious as well as its precarious position on the cliff. At one time there may have been more buildings visible than just that tower but the waves had stolen the ground from underneath the huge structure sending a large portion of the castle tumbling into the ocean below. What they now looked at was the western portion of the castle wall, where two old stone statues stood guard over the entrance.

Neji drove up to large door embedded in the outer wall and Sasuke got out, walked over to the great double doors and lifted his arms. Nailed to each door was a plaque, the first read: 'Kikyo Castle' and the second: 'Strictly No Visitors' and in an alcove next to them was another, smaller door. The heavy doors were reinforced with crossbars of riveted steel, it was these that Sasuke lay his hands on and for a moment ancient symbols of silver magick were revealed etched into the metal before they disappeared and the doors swung inwards with their own will. Sasuke glanced over his shoulder and marched confidently into the courtyard followed by the jeep.

"What was that silver writing all about?" asked Kiba as soon as he got out. "Didn't look like any normal letters."

"The perimeter of the castle is protected by both barrier and cloaking spells," said Sasuke, continuing when Kiba looked nonplussed, "Barrier spells stop magickal penetration; no one with magick may pass these walls. The cloaking spells make the castle unattractive to the eye, difficult to remember and I expect they also stop anyone seeing through the walls," he said looking at Neji who nodded.

"Very clever," said Neji, looking up at the towering walls, "Because, of course, at the time when most of these castles were re-built, people were extremely paranoid about 'witches' and took every precaution against witchcraft," Neji continued in a coolly admiring tone.

Sasuke nodded graciously, "And with a small amount of adjustment the spells can be made to allow the entry of good magick, whereas a demon may not cross over that threshold while the barrier stands."

"You hide behind the very enchantments designed to keep our kind at bay," Neji confirmed.

"Precisely."

Naruto glanced between the two, attempting to read them both whilst taking in the conversation. It was clear Sasuke was boasting whilst Neji was prying. They were likely trying to ascertain whose homestead scored the highest. Naruto thought Sasuke's castle had won the defence competition hands down. Kiba was also glancing between the two hunters who were currently having a staring contest, but he was tapping his foot in impatience, he was obviously eager to return to Hinata's side.

"Can we cover the history later? It's just that we're supposed to be giving this place a sweep."

Sasuke and Neji looked at him, suddenly snapping back to the task at hand. "Yes, well," began Neji before Sasuke spoke over him.

"I should check the dungeons; they open onto the cliffs at the eastern side of the compound so they're weak to entry. Some of those passages are tricky so it's best if I do it."

Neji looked thoughtful. "Okay. Is it possible that the barrier could have a break in it?"

Sasuke considered for a moment. "It's unlikely, but if it did you wouldn't know unless you checked the incantations one by one."

"Right, then I'll walk the perimeter and see if there are any points at which I can see through the wall. In the meantime, Kiba; I want you to do a sweep of the main buildings," he looked back to Sasuke for instructions.

"Over there, the one marked with the Uchiha crest," he pointed towards the largest buildings which were all connected to form a central point within the castle walls. "Leading off from the main hall is the library on the left with the bell tower and the dojo on the right. The bathhouse is on the other side of the library. The garage and stables are under the wall to the right."

Kiba nodded and Neji turned away from him. "The other buildings are living quarters?" Sasuke nodded, "Naruto; split up and search the houses."

Naruto grinned at this chance to show them how far his power had progressed in Evergreen Forest. Concentrating hard he sent his magick out in as many different directions as possible enjoying Kiba's reaction as nearly fifty versions of himself split up to start the search.

"I see you've improved," said Neji as the clones ran away.

Naruto grinned. During his training he had found it increasingly easy to produce large numbers of himself and was now confident in his ability to keep them separate for at least five minutes before they started to compact.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Stop showing off, there aren't even that many houses."

**-0-**

Fifteen minutes later Naruto and Kiba were sat on a in the main hall. Naruto could see why Sasuke liked it here; the thick stone walls would have created a cold and unwelcoming environment had it not been offset by tall windows and comfortable furnishings. Though the wall hangings were a little military, effort had clearly been made to make the place more homey. The main hall was a spacious room with rafters high above them and smooth stone floors, worn by the passage of time. At each end was a set of double doors leading to either the library or the dojo but next to the doors were great fireplaces, now cold and empty, that once must have held roaring fires to warm the place through the bitter winter months. This room had clearly been a meeting place for the Uchiha hunters, Naruto could imagine a whole clan of people who looked like Sasuke sitting around the twin hearths chatting amiably on a chilly winter day. He imagined the smiling faces of children sitting happily on the plush rugs that covered portions of the stone floor whilst their parents discussed the latest happenings in the world of hunters and demons.

"Is the place clear?"

Naruto looked up to see Neji striding towards them and listened as Kiba gave their report. Naruto had found nothing and though Kiba mentioned Akamaru sniffing around an area at the back of the library neither of them had found anything really suspicious; no forced entry, nothing that was obviously out of place and generally no signs of life. Neji too it seemed had been satisfied with the results of his search; the barrier spells were in tact all the way along the castle wall.

"Sasuke is still in the dungeons," stated Neji, looking at a far off spot. "I wonder what's taking him so long, he's not moving around."

Naruto started, "Is he okay?!" he asked, ready to rush to Sasuke's aid.

Neji frowned, "He seems fine; his magick is only slightly disturbed. Naruto you should go to him, the dungeon entrance is through that door. Continue down the corridor to the sea and take a right, Sasuke is in the last room down there."

Naruto nodded and left via a smaller door at the back of the building. He found himself at the top of a dark staircase. He wasted no time hurrying down the cold stone steps, the only thing going through his mind was that Sasuke was down there and he needed to find him. The corridor was lined with torches that had obviously once been lit by witch fire but now they were bare leaving the many side passages dark. Still there was plenty of light streaming from the end of the tunnel to satisfy a hunter's eyesight in this main passage and when Naruto saw why he stopped and stared in awe. The corridor ended in a sort of walkway that ran parallel to the cliff edge to the right and disappeared into a dark entrance in the cliff face to the left. In actuality the walkway had been created when half the castle and its dungeons had dropped into the ocean but someone had then built a balustrade along the ruined edge turning it into a corridor completely open to the sea air. It was a beautiful and unhindered view.

After a moment's appreciation Naruto remembered his partner and hurried along the walkway to the right to the only door, passing several wide windows on the way. He then walked into what appeared to be a living room with a wall of glass where it overlooked the sea. It was clearly someone's home and he had an idea of whose.

"Sasuke?" he called.

Now that Neji's reasons for not following him down here were becoming clear Naruto suspected Sasuke was in a delicate state so he stayed in the main room and looked around while he waited for a response. The room was light and airy thanks to its cliff side position but the furnishings were very alike to those in the main hall above, everything ordered and matching. When Sasuke emerged from a side room Naruto was looking out at the sea.

"Amazing isn't it?" said Sasuke quietly coming up behind him.

"It is," Naruto agreed softly.

"These quarters were reserved for the clan leader and their family. My father was a stern man, never much of a father but a strong leader." His voice was quiet and tinged with sadness but Naruto knew he was proud. "I always intended to live down here if I was permitted to return."

"Will that be okay?" asked Naruto cautiously looking back at Sasuke. He was a picture of cool strength except for the tinge of red that rimmed his eyes giving him away.

Still Sasuke met his gaze with a cold indifference, "Of course it will."

Naruto looked at him sceptically. He was worried that if Sasuke spent too much time down here dwelling on the past it would be unhealthy. He slowly turned, taking Sasuke's hands in his own. Naruto didn't have to say anything, his questioning look clearly probed at the other man's stubborn answer. Sasuke looked as though he had half a mind to pull his hands away or electrocute Naruto. But still Naruto held tight and then he did something even more daring, he pulled Sasuke into a strong hug and held him there.

"It's not a weakness, to feel," he whispered.

They stood tense for a moment as Naruto wondered if he had finally pushed too hard at what his partner obviously perceived as a chink in his formidable armour. When Sasuke rested his head on Naruto's shoulder he nearly breathed a sigh of relief. It was comforting to know that in some ways he was getting through to Sasuke. He felt Sasuke nuzzle his neck in what could have been a nod of assent before he pulled away a little, still letting Naruto keep his hold on him.

"It's okay, it's in the past, there's only one more piece left to destroy. This place holds only good memories and I want to make more here."

He smiled almost cryptically at Naruto whose face lit up as he grinned with heartfelt joy. Lifting a gentle hand he brushed a strand of raven black hair away from Sasuke's eyes, revelling in the trust he saw reflected in those dark pools. And then Sasuke did something he wasn't expecting, he leaned forward and captured Naruto's lips in a light kiss. It was beautiful; soft and sweet, a testimony of affection that stole Naruto's breath so completely that he was left slightly dizzy moments later.

"You kissed me," he blurted out, feeling quite giddy.

Sasuke let out a disbelieving snort, "Your genius astounds."

Naruto smiled and leaned forward again only to have a hand placed over his lips.

"Did Neji send you to find me?"

"Aw," whined Naruto, dropping his head forwards. "Yeah, he did."

"Then you know he's probably watching us right now."

Naruto let out a half hearted growl and flicked the V in the general direction of the main hall. Sasuke then surprised both of them by letting out an uncontrollable giggle at Naruto's crude disrespect that was far from manly. Naruto burst out laughing as his partner flushed scarlet and covered his mouth in an attempt to take it back. With a frown the Uchiha shoved him backwards into the window, only to be dragged along by Naruto's hold on his coat.

They crashed into each other and Naruto took special care to make sure their lips collided as well. It was a badly coordinated move that lacked any grace but it was perfect all the same. Naruto chuckled into the kiss as Sasuke made a pathetically half-hearted attempt to resist before tangling his long fingers in his blonde hair. Naruto then used his considerable talent to switch their positions and press their bodies flush with the window, delighting in the undignified 'Mmph' that emitted from his partners occupied mouth.

In the heat generated by Sasuke's nimble fingers as they danced a lingering pattern down his chest to the point where a strip of tanned skin had been revealed, any thought of Neji and their priorities was effectively stolen from Naruto's mind. He was lost and drawn in to Sasuke's will, thinking only of ways to better attune himself with this wonderful man. However, when Sasuke broke away Naruto was disappointed to find that he had not forgotten their current situation. He was flushed, his eyes half-lidded and incredibly dark yet he was not to be distracted.

"We need to get back," muttered Sasuke as he brushed his lips once more over Naruto's.

"Stop doing that then," was Naruto's husky reply and he returned the kiss vigorously.

"I do hope I'm not interrupting."

Sasuke shoved Naruto backwards so fast he nearly lost his footing. By the time he'd whirled to face the newest addition to Kikyo Castle, Sasuke had already drawn his sword, all sexual energy effectively eradicated.

"Actually, I don't really care."

The man was dressed in an expensive black suit with a blood red shirt that matched his eyes. The lines of his pale skin made him look about sixty but he stood with the tall, straight back of a much younger man and his short black hair had only a smattering of grey. Naruto backed up next to Sasuke with his dagger in hand; he'd never faced a real demon but was ready to play his part.

**-0-**

"Who are you?" asked Sasuke bluntly.

The demon smiled maddeningly as he strolled across the room, ignoring the two hunters facing up against him he threw himself casually into an armchair, stretching luxuriously.

"It's good to be home, ne?"

Sasuke and Naruto both stared at him in shock and then he was gone. The demon had literally disappeared!

"The place hasn't changed much."

Sasuke spun around at the silky voice which suddenly spoke from directly behind him, instinctively sending lightening streaming down his sword. The length of sharp steel flicked towards the demon who jolted backwards as the glass behind him burst outwards in an explosion of electricity. Sasuke saw him fall in a rain of sharp shards. As though in slow motion he plunged towards the ocean foaming around jagged rocks and then with a last arrogant smirk he was gone again.

"What the hell is going on down here?!" asked Neji bursting through the door as Sasuke searched the rocks below.

"There was a demon; he was over there and then there. I think he was teleporting!" said Naruto, gesturing wildly around the room.

Sasuke frowned, "I don't agree."

"No?" queried Neji as Sasuke turned back to the room.

"My magick broke the window but I think he threw himself out; I don't think he was solid. When I whirled around I threw my arm out, I should have hit him but I didn't feel a thing. Besides the barrier spells weren't destroyed," he motioned at the silver writing hanging in midair, revealed by the destruction of the glass. "As long of these spells remain a demon can't pass through them."

"That would make sense."

"It does?" asked Kiba who had arrived in Neji's wake.

Neji nodded, "I felt Sasuke use magick but I saw no demon. There were only you two here."

"If it was an illusion, it's caster can't be that far away," said Sasuke, starting towards the door to track down the perpetrator before the sudden look of confusion and horror on Neji's face stopped him. "What is it?"

"I think I saw him; when I checked the wall he was stood above the gateway-"

Sasuke had run off before Neji could say another word. No demon could cross the wall but there was no saying they couldn't stand on top of it and project illusions inwards. When he reached the courtyard however there was no one there. Only the two statues stood over the gateway with their swords crossed. Neji and the others came up right behind him.

"He's gone," said Neji defeated.

"Yes, thank you, I can see that!" snapped Sasuke.

"You don't get it. When I saw him the reason I didn't attack is because I couldn't be certain of what I saw; when I look at you people I see you and then an overlay of magick. It's all very clean cut but this was just a blur and his actual body was completely invisible."

Sasuke looked at him shock, "He was invisible... But he couldn't have two powers so it's more like he erased his own image and planted it somewhere else." Why did that sound distantly familiar? "Where was he stood?" Sasuke asked suddenly, looking up at the statues.

"In front of the northern one."

"Why that one?" Sasuke mused pensively.

Something didn't feel right about this and strangely he thought the answer might be up there. By the alcove where the small door was situated was a metal ladder attached to the castle wall. It was this that Sasuke climbed hand over hand to reach the top where the life size statues of the castle's first hunter residents guarded their home. Each was down on one knee facing each other, their swords crossed between them. Carefully Sasuke walked around the nearest one whose wild hair fell far down his back. He stared long and hard into the stony face and sure enough it resembled a teenage version of the demon that had been here not fifteen minutes previous. Sasuke quickly climbed down from the wall and returned to the other hunters.

"It is weather worn so I can't be certain, but that statue looks rather like the demon we saw."

"Who's the statue of?" asked Neji.

"I'm not entirely sure," admitted Sasuke, ignoring the looks of surprise he received; it was unlike him to not know his own family's history. For the most part he was knowledgeable, but not here. "The statues commemorate the first private owners of this castle; 'the Uchiha Brothers', that's how people referred to them. They were powerful hunter's, one possessed a power not unlike Yamato's and was responsible for restoring the castle whereas the other was adept in the use of spells, I don't mean our common spells, I mean the Olde Language used for long written enchantments; he rewrote the original barrier spells and added the cloaking ones." Neji was nodding along, he knew how few people still used the old language; it was extremely powerful but dangerous if there was even the slightest fault in the lettering. "It was him. He's aged well, must be over a hundred by now."

"A hundred years old?!" burst Naruto.

"Yes, well that's about normal for a powerful demon left to his own devices," said Neji offhandedly as he gazed up at the statue. "If he has, to a certain extent, avoided combat his natural healing abilities will allow him to live to roughly 150 years. Sasuke, do you think there will be more information on him in the library, the Uchiha kept records didn't they?"

"Of course we do," said Sasuke, sounding only slightly offended.

**-0-**

Over 3 hours later Sasuke was forced to conclude that the Uchiha records were not as complete as he would have liked to believe. Neji had contacted Tsunade shortly after Sasuke had retired to the library explaining that even though there was clearly a demon who knew the true occupants of Kikyo Castle the place had proven it's defensive merits by demonstrating just how strong it's fortifications were; even the castle's original protector did not seem able to truly break in. Tsunade had subsequently refused to send out the order to move the majority of the Hunt into hiding in Kikyo Castle, until they knew this demon's background. She was apparently making this man a top priority target if he threatened the integrity of the castle; any demon who knew the Olde Language was a significant danger. Personally Sasuke thought it was a bit rich of her to be so concerned with the safety of his home all of a sudden. He knew she was only looking out for her hunter's but he thought they were likely in more immediate danger, touring the streets of Konoha with the city in such a state of disarray.

But, since he was equally curious about this man, he would give the investigation everything he had. The demon had revealed himself as one of the original Uchiha hunters which meant he was both important and powerful. All of which made it suspicious that he couldn't find any mention of the castle's founders other than they were strong brothers that had lived about a hundred years ago. It was as though they had disappeared.

* * *

**A/N:** Ah I'll try not to mess up the next one so bad! Gomen-nasai!

-Yasu


	24. Prophesy

**A/N:** I'll bore you with the details after this chapter.

* * *

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and sighed in exasperation. He had searched through the entire records section of the Uchiha's sizeable library yesterday and had been forced to report to Tsunade that he hadn't found the mystery demon yet. This was made all the more humiliating because Neji had reported at the same time with the exact whereabouts of the demon's hideout.

So today, while Neji and several others kept watch on the coming and goings of demons, Sasuke had delved into the rest of the expansive library. He was now looking for references to the Uchiha brothers in every history book he could find, aided somewhat by a reluctant Naruto. His partner's usefulness had its limits. Sasuke glanced over to see Naruto's asleep on an old tome. He knew Naruto wasn't used to the strains of a Hunter's schedule. They had been up in the daytime yesterday and had only taken an afternoon nap before returning to the library tonight. Besides Naruto had been set his own mission of searching the surrounding moorland for any sign that Hunter's weren't the only ones keeping an eye on the enemy. He had returned a few hours ago so he was probably suffering from magickal exhaustion as well. He had been cold and wet from being out in the fog for so long and as soon as Sasuke had seen him he had ordered Naruto to go and change into something dry while he lit the fire in the library with a spark of electricity.

Coming to a decision, Sasuke slammed the book he had just deemed useless. Opposite him Naruto jerked upright in a panic.

"W-What?"

"Enough, let's call it a night."

"Eh? I'm fine, we can keep looking," protested Naruto.

"The sun will be up in a few hours and you're exhausted," said Sasuke, setting out the books to check upon their return.

"But Hunter's are supposed to need half the sleep of normal humans; it says so in this book!" Sasuke frowned and moved to look over his shoulder.

"What are you reading?" he muttered.

"Here see, it says about the advantages magick gives us. 'Enhanced eyesight… super hearing… immunity to viruses and infections… increased healing rate… high alcohol tolerance… high metabolism' and some other stuff I'd never have realised. Like how we'll age slightly slower, that you'll never find a Hunter with a bad back or asthma. Amazing isn't it?"

"Yes. But at the risk of quoting another 'with great power comes great responsibility'. Demons exist because Hunters became too focused on their own brilliance. They couldn't see the goodness in the boring lives of 'mere mortals'. After all 'Who would want to live with such mundanity?'"

"That's not what I meant, I was just wondering; what if we are the future? Like maybe some day, everyone will have magick, there will be no reason to hide! Wouldn't that be great?"

Sasuke thought about it for a moment, but it turned out he didn't share Naruto's enthusiasm.

"No, it would be horrible. With no reason to hide there would be an all out war and it would never end because Hunter's and Demon's aren't like a couple of countries; we can't call a truce and settle our differences, we can only kill each other. As soon as people with magick become a majority the human race will be at an end. Demons will enslave those without magick at such a rate that we would be helpless to stop them."

Naruto sat in shocked silence and Sasuke wondered if he had perhaps been a little harsh with sharing his views. Still, he felt it was a realistic assessment and after all, Sasuke didn't believe in cushioning the truth.

"By enslave…"

"I mean the subspecies, yes. You have never seen interaction between a demon and their creations but any member of a viral race, that is to say vampires, werewolves, even banshee will kneel in the presence of a demon."

Naruto looked down at the 'advantages' listed in the book with a wary sadness. It was clear he didn't know what to make of the situation. Sasuke felt a pang of guilt, he didn't mean to crush Naruto's optimism but he didn't believe that kind of thinking was wise.

"Is there any hope of a peaceful future?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to tell Naruto that there would always be fighting but when his partner turned to look up at him he found he didn't have the strength to be so cold.

"Let's get some rest."

**-0-**

_Everything was black. The ground, the walls, the sky, none of it existed. Yet he felt them, he knew that should he extend an arm he would feel the walls and of course he was walking, was that not proof that a floor existed. The sky however, didn't exist. But there was a ceiling, it was low and oppressive. _

_He walked and walked, taking twists and turns that he could not see, descending steps that he was prepared for. Deeper and deeper he went until gradually he slowed. Sensing that his destination was near, a feeling of dread rose like bile and lodged itself in his throat. Still he continued, he must, for that person was calling out to him and though he wished it he could not deny the summons._

'_Come brother…'_

_A door opened at the end of the corridor and a sickly yellow light filtered from the void. Inside lay an unnatural sight. Many sleek female werewolves shifted in the shadows of an intimately sized room and sprawled across several luxurious cushions in the centre was his mirror image. Except he felt sure his own features were softer than this imposter's. He knew his skin was browned by the sun, his hair less matted, his scar's less pronounced. And most of all he was certain that his own eyes did not glow red. No, the demon before him was positively animalistic. He commanded the attention of all those present, Naruto and the selection of beasts, gifting casual touches and leering glances to the clamouring concubines._

'_Do you like them brother?'_

_He wanted to shake his head, to shout his denial. But it wouldn't come. He remained powerless as the figure rose to his own exact height and summoned one of the willing wolves to his side. She moved forward in a form that was almost human, except that it was all wrong. Her eyes were a vivid yellow and she boasted razor sharp claws. His twin stalked in her wake as they approached and in one swift movement he slipped his arms under hers, displaying her for his guest's enjoyment._

_He felt sick. He wanted to run. But he couldn't, the door was gone and his limbs were uncooperative and the other… the other_ him_ was biting down on the juncture of the shewolf's neck. It wasn't a playful bite, but one that made her howl with pain and as he drew away blood poured from the fatal wound. The demon looked at him and gave a satisfied smile as gore dripped from between his lips._

_He was screaming louder than he ever had in his life. He could feel his throat protesting and as his mind rose to consciousness he saw one last tormenting image. His double knelt opposite him, grinning with that same childish pleasure as a blade moved over his face._

As Naruto opened his eyes the scream died in his throat. He was no longer looking up at the feral image of himself but a beautiful man with luminescent skin and deep, dark eyes. It was Sasuke, he realised, leaning over him in the spare bedroom of the Uchiha residence. Abruptly his tensed muscles went limp, relief flooding through him. The calming effect of Sasuke's presence was already washing over him.

Sasuke was still staring at him warily. Naruto wondered if the Uchiha thought he was crazy but then Sasuke had had his fair share of nightmares. A voice in the back of his head protested as he tried to dismiss the vivid images as a nightmare and insisted he analyse his dream further, but he blocked it out. The dream had terrified him more than he thought possible and that had nothing to do with the darkness or the gore and everything to do with that last haunting image. A shudder ran through him as that boy once again swam into view.

Naruto felt Sasuke crawling into bed beside him. He let his partner curl himself like a protective barrier around him and pull the duvet over them. As Sasuke ran his fingers through blond hair in a comforting gesture Naruto drifted towards a more peaceful sleep wondering vaguely why that last image had seemed so horribly familiar.

**-0-**

The next evening Sasuke pretended not to notice as Naruto slipped out of his arms. He made himself wait at least five minutes before getting dressed and exiting the bedroom. Naruto was in the kitchen stirring a pot of instant ramen rather distractedly.

"I'm going to get back to work. Join me when you've finished that," said Sasuke, motioning at Naruto's untouched ramen.

When Sasuke left the residence he walked briskly past the striking view of the starlit Pacific and headed for the library, intent on his new task. Yesterday he had been too shocked by Naruto's violent dream to question the matter further but it now occurred to him that Naruto had been unusually difficult to wake up. Sasuke had been forced to resort to giving the man a small electric shock to jerk him out of it. Even when Naruto had finally opened his eyes it had been clear that Naruto couldn't see him. Sasuke could only vaguely recall the tell tales signs of premonition but he was almost certain that last night's disturbance had been no ordinary nightmare.

The ground floor of the library was a valuable resource of books on the natural world but upstairs focused solely on the complex magickal world. It took him a moment to locate the 'D' section but Sasuke skimmed past the extensive section labelled 'Demonology' and until he stood in front of a shelf dedicated to divination. He walked along until a title caught his eye: '_Prophesy: It's in our Blood_' and next to it another read: '_Prophetic Talents Through Time'._ He pulled both of them from the shelf and sat down on the floor of the aisle.

The first book was highly scientific, going into great depth about which genes effected foresight. All Sasuke was able to glean from the dusty volume was that foresight was ultimately passed down within bloodlines but was largely subject to chance. Foresight in its various untried forms could skip generations, changing face and strength depending on the individual.

However, it was the second, slightly newer book of records that proved most enlightening. In it was listed a seeress by the name of Senju Chiyoko along with every prophesy she had ever made and their outcome. Her last prophesy had been spoken on the deathbed to her great grandson Namikaze Minato.

"What are you reading way over here?"

Sasuke jumped and then cringed in shame as the book slipped from his fingers and landed with a thump that sounded far too loud in the stillness of the library. He had been so intent on the mystery presented that he had failed to hear Naruto's approach. It was an unforgivable oversight. His partner picked up the book before Sasuke could formulate a reply.

"Minato…" Naruto read out, immediately honing in on his father's name.

"_Born of ultimate conflict,_

_After one of tragic pain,_

_And either may tilt the balance,_

_Providing the other is slain._

_The last of their blood,_

_Sealed by magick olde,_

_Join together or perish,_

_And walk a path foretold.__"_

The muffled silence of the old library stretched between them. Sasuke wasn't sure how to break it. It could mean nothing, they were surely just old words in a book. Wouldn't Minato have mentioned something or left Naruto some kind of warning if he had any reason to suspect these words were significant. Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment, the larger part of his brain excepted that it was a nonsense prediction but still… Something didn't sit right with him.

"Why are you reading this?" Naruto asked finally.

Sasuke sighed, "Last night; what did you see?"

From his position on the aisle floor he saw the shudder that passed over Naruto before he crumpled against the opposite shelf. As he slid to the floor his eyes closed and he took a deep breath. Sasuke was reminded of someone trying to breath past a bout of sea sickness.

"I saw a demon," he said quietly. "He was in a dark room, surrounded by werewolves."

Remembering Naruto's terror the night before, Sasuke was loath to push him but he had to know. Naruto had seen the wanted posters plastered throughout the coven lounge. "Is it anyone I'd recognise?"

When Naruto looked at him his gaze was haunted, "It was me."

They were silent for a long time before Sasuke shifted. He pushed the books out of the way and moved to sit next to Naruto leaning against him from shoulder to thigh.

"Try not to think of it that way. These things are often tricky. I believe what you saw was a prophetic dream, these books say it's in your blood and what I saw suggests you inherited the gift. You probably don't remember but I had to use magick to wake you up; that is one of the main signs of a prophetic state. However just because it might be true doesn't mean it is and it certainly doesn't make it accurate," he said rationally, "These things often need deciphering. Could you explain what you saw, if it was prophesy you should be able to recall every detail."

**-0-**

It was true; every detail of his supposed dream was vividly clear in his mind as well as every feeling they invoked. So Naruto explained, talking in a soft voice he recounted what he had seen only leaving out the terrible feelings. He knew Sasuke would pick up on them anyway. When he was finished Sasuke was quite for a few minutes and Naruto mused that he felt marginally better now he had aired the dream.

"And when you awoke, what you saw, you don't think that was part of the vision?"

"No, that part was different... familiar."

"Familiar?"

Naruto nodded slowly. He could feel Sasuke's eyes on him but said nothing else. It bothered him that the image of that boy leaning over him with a kitchen knife felt more like some long forgotten memory than a new dream.

"Right," said Sasuke, as though he had just come to some decision. "Sitting here isn't helping us find the bastard demon who broke in here."

He stood up and pushed both of the divination books back onto their shelves. Naruto groaned dramatically though he was secretly glad for the change of subject.

"More research?"

"Not for you. I will continue here but since you ate the last of our previsions for breakfast you are going to go shopping." He tugged his wallet out of his back pocket and began producing notes. He slapped them into Naruto's hand and pulled him to his feet. "Make sure you buy plenty of food, decent stuff too; not just ramen. And get fresh fruit, tomatoes and whatever else looks good."

"You are a strange man," Naruto said with a crooked smile.

"Says you," Sasuke replied before leaning in and pressing his lips gently against Naruto's.

When he pulled away Naruto found a giddy smile on his lips. He could tell he looked silly because Sasuke's eyes sparkled with mirth. Naruto moved closer again, fully intent on taking this further but Sasuke side stepped him and he found himself looking at books.

"Shopping," prompted a smug voice and Naruto groaned again, suddenly he didn't want to leave the Kikyo Castle library.

**-0-**

So maybe he wasn't feeling quite as composed as he was projecting, but Naruto didn't need to know that. He would only worry and he clearly had enough of his own troubles at the moment, without Sasuke getting all depressed and nostalgic.

Sasuke had remained in the library for only ten minutes after Naruto left before losing his patience. His brain felt like jelly with all the puzzles and questions crammed inside, he just couldn't concentrate. Besides it really seemed that the Uchiha's had kept wonderfully detailed and organised records of everyone except for those two original brothers. Sasuke felt like kicking himself; why had he never thought to ask about the castle's founders? Now that he needed this information it seemed incredibly absentminded of him not to have questioned the matter earlier. All his brain could provide him with were hazy memories of sitting at the window in their dungeon home with his brother.

_"Nii-san, who are those statues at the gate?"_

_"They were the powerful brothers who built and protected this castle with their magick. Even now they watch over the gateway, making sure their descendants are safe."_

_"We are safe, aren't we?" asked a young Sasuke, pressing his nose up against the window to look down at the sea below._

_"The safest," agreed Itachi, lifting a hand to brush his brother's hair out of his eyes._

_Sasuke grinned, his eyes reduced to slits. "They do a good job!"_

Considering his only knowledge of the brothers had come from Itachi, Sasuke had decided to search Itachi's room; perhaps his brother had been borrowing the only book about them? That would have been a comfortable solution but his search had yielded poor results; the only book in Itachi's bedroom had been one with complex explanations of the Olde Language, nothing useful. He had, however, uncovered a hipflask of some potent alcohol, which was why Sasuke was now sat on the floor of his living room feeling rather relaxed. He wasn't really much of a drinker which he thought explained why this strange spirit was unknown to him.

Sasuke was sat on the floor behind the largest sofa, looking out of the window from the exact position he had favoured years ago when he and Itachi had sat here looking out at the stormy seas. A shiver travelled down his spine; the broken window two panes away had not even been boarded up, they had pushed a coffee table in front of it to act as a safety barrier but it did nothing to stop the bitter winds that swept into the room. The Olde Language incantation that was embedded in the windows hung in the air, barely visible as a glimmer of silver lettering but still as strong as it was when it had been housed by the glass. It was further proof that the demon had only been an illusion; the barrier held strong even when the window had shattered. He had been dwelling almost constantly on the demon's power. It was intriguing and undoubtedly useful in battle. The man had the ability to create his own illusion and then sneak unseen upon his enemy. It bothered Sasuke that his own power would be rather useless unless he could locate the invisible man.

"_It was as though he had two powers. Yes, I know that's not possible and I've been thinking on the matter. What if he were able to take his own image and plant it somewhere else? Almost like astro-projection except that his spirit part was only an illusion."_

"_You need to stop dwelling on this, stronger men than you would have been defeated.__"_

"_But I couldn't do anything. He was there somewhere, I know it!"_

Sasuke shook his head vigorously. He didn't know where these memories were surfacing from. This latest glimpse was particularly annoying. He couldn't summon any further recollection and the speakers' identities escaped him.

He frowned and took another swig from the silver hip flask; the engraved initials revealed that it had belonged to his father. This begged a certain amount of questions as to why it was in Itachi's desk draw but Sasuke was horribly aware that he wasn't likely to ever have answers to the many questions that had arisen in the short time that he had been back in the castle.

Standing, Sasuke left the dungeon apartment. He felt the sudden urge to walk around. It was quite plain that he wasn't going to get answers sitting there immersed in memories and he only had maybe an hour before Naruto was due back. True, that didn't have much to do with his sitting there but he felt he should probably stop drinking now. Still he took one last swing before he stuffed the hip flask into his pocket as he crossed the main hall and walked out into the courtyard. The statues stood above the gateway opposite him as though they were mocking him.

"Who the fuck are you?" muttered Sasuke, well aware of how insane he sounded.

He considered returning to the dusty shelves of the library before turning in the opposite direction and heading towards the stables. Sasuke prided himself on having a well developed sixth sense and right now they seemed to be the place to go. When he was younger, the stables had been his own personal thinking space. Itachi had teased him, saying that he'd start sleeping there any day now.

"_I think from now on I'll just write you messages on Getsuei's door, rather than actually bothering to find you…"_

Sasuke frowned as another strange half memory floated to the forefront of his mind. They sounded oddly realistic, as though the person speaking was standing right next to him. At least he recognised who was speaking in this one. His brother really had taken to leaving notes in the stables.

Sasuke's father had bought the gelding for his 8th birthday claiming it was time that his son learnt how to take responsibility for another's wellbeing if he intended to become Itachi's bonded. It was typical of his father to turn a birthday gift into a life lesson but Sasuke had willingly risen to the challenge. He had named the horse Getsuei after the crescent shape on his forehead and spent his free time, between learning to fight and studying under his brother, looking after the animal as the stable keep had taught him.

Sasuke had picked up riding like a natural, earning grudging praise from his father that he suspected had been coaxed out of Fugaku by his ever diplomatic mother. He had once accused Sasuke of spoiling the beast but Mikoto had stepped in that time as well rebuking her husband and encouraging her son's dedication. Sasuke smiled sadly, he had never known someone as kind as his mother.

The stable door protested loudly as it was pushed open. Several Uchiha had kept mounts here, often leading riding parties over the moorland. As soon as Sasuke was able he had joined in on each of the expeditions, he and Getsuei easily keeping up with the more experienced riders. Itachi had accompanied them once, staying just long enough to demonstrate his own prowess on horseback. Sasuke had resented his brother for showing him up that time and had been quite glad when his brother conveniently announced that he preferred to spend his free time with his motorbike.

Looking around the empty stalls, Sasuke sighed. He missed his steed dearly; Getsuei had been a beautiful and faithful creature. He had sold the animals along with most of the Uchiha clan's vehicles but he would have liked to have kept Getsuei. It had been tempting to move his old friend into a stable but in the end he had decided against it. As the last Uchiha he was a prize to demons across Japan and it had been necessary to keep a low profile. Sasuke preferred to err on the side of caution and if demons could monitor when he visited his parent's graves they could certainly trace Getsuei back to him.

With a longing sigh Sasuke ran his fingers over the dark wood door of Getsuei's pen. A second later he withdrew his fingers in shock. Sasuke frowned, flexing his tingling hand. He recognised this feeling as the tell tale magick of a concealed message but more importantly the magickal touch felt familiar. Instinctively he reached for his own magick to reveal the message but was startled to find that his magick was unresponsive. It lay dormant in his blood. Sasuke fought down a rising panic and tried harder to draw some response from the magick. But it wasn't working, he could feel the power within him but, despite employing more concentration than a new Hunter, he couldn't connect with it.

In a desperate attempt to stir some reaction from the magick that had been at his beck and call for years, Sasuke drew his sword. The metal which normally conducted his electricity with such ease felt strangely cold in his hand. By this point Sasuke was having some difficulty quelling his panic, his sword had never felt cold; from the first time he had picked it up from the sword smith's it had felt alive and responsive in his fingers. Now it was as though he had lost a limb.

Reassuring himself repeatedly that he was not defenceless without his magick, Sasuke sheathed the sword, keeping one hand on the hilt. He still had his weapon even if it didn't feel like his sword anymore. Besides the castle's protection was strong; he was safe.

Still, Sasuke found himself feeling more vulnerable than he had done in years. It took all of his will to calm down enough to call Naruto. His partner was there for support, right? Well he could really do with some support right now, even if he had to swallow his pride to get it. The only thing on Sasuke's mind was getting his power back.

"_Hello?"_

"You need to come back to the castle right now."

"_Sasuke? What's wrong?"_

"My power is gone."

"_WHAT? Seriously? How?" _Sasuke held the phone away from his ear as Naruto continued to bombard him with one worded questions.

"If I knew that I'd have it back by now, dobe."

With that Sasuke snapped his phone shut, confident that Naruto would be rushing back to the castle. Deciding to wait for his partner right where he was, Sasuke took a seat on an upturned bucket.

**-0-**

As soon as Sasuke hung up on him, Naruto abandoned his shopping trolley and ran for the door. He headed for the alley next to the supermarket and closed his eyes, thought of the castle wall and transferred to the copy of himself that was closest to the castle. He recalled his other clones as quickly as possible and rushed through the small door by the main castle entrance. Since Sasuke hadn't told him where he was Naruto resolved not to think as he ran to the right. He had been experimenting with his sixth sense by playing 'Pick a Card, Any Card' with Sasuke and had found that if he didn't put too much thought into things he usually got them right. Usually.

However, Naruto had never been to the stables before so when he found himself faced with a collection of strange buildings sheltered under the south wall he picked the largest one. This turned out to be an empty garage. The next building was a potting shed and by the time he reached the stables, Sasuke was slouched on his bucket seat looking rather bored and strangely vacant.

"Sasuke?" asked Naruto cautiously when the Hunter didn't look up.

"You took your time," he said, examining a silver hipflask in his hands.

"You didn't tell me where you were," replied Naruto, a little defensive; Sasuke knew his sixth sense wasn't brilliant.

"It's all good practice. The training never really stops."

Naruto frowned; Sasuke seemed more contemplative and philosophical than he had sounded over the phone.

"Did you get your power back?" Naruto asked, figuring the disaster might have already been averted.

"Nope," said Sasuke casually.

Spotting the hip-flask in his hands it suddenly occurred to Naruto that Sasuke was acting a little drunk. For starters: Sasuke never _slouched_ and he seemed far too relaxed about this whole situation. Naruto considered confronting him, but decided against it; best to tread carefully where Sasuke was involved.

"Do you know how you lost it?" he probed gently. After all, Sasuke was a veritable genius; he had to have some idea.

"Haven't lost anything, it's still here," he said, patting himself on the chest absently, "Just not working. The only thing I can think of is this." Sasuke stood without wavering and handed the hip-flask to Naruto. "But alcohol wouldn't usually strip a person of their powers… Still it's the only thing I can think of… I haven't touched anything else that I'm aware of."

Naruto half listened to Sasuke's rambling reasoning as he too examined the hip-flask. He unscrewed the lid and took a sniff. It was certainly potent, Naruto thought it could be vodka but it smelled weird.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know."

"Why would you drink it then? It could be poisonous."

"That's father's hipflask, and it was in Itachi's room."

Naruto was surprised at Sasuke's actions, but also his petulant defensiveness. He couldn't see what colour the alcohol was so he poured a little on the floor. Both of them stared at the vividly green liquid but only Naruto felt some recognition. He reached out, tilting Sasuke's chin up and leaning in close enough to see that the man's eyes were unfocused and slightly bloodshot. Naruto was still putting two and two together when Sasuke used their close proximity to plant a kiss on him. He pulled away quickly, putting a hand on Sasuke's chest as his partner smirked at him.

"You're high."

"Eh?" queried Sasuke, rather unintelligently.

"I think the alcohol you drank is steeped with cannabis."

"How do you know?"

"I've tried a few things," Naruto said with a shrug. "Would cannabis get rid of your power?"

"Told you it's not gone," Sasuke replied slowly. "I can sense my magick; it just feels sort of distant, like something just out of reach."

"Well then I guess we just wait for the drink to wear off. By the way, why are you out here?" Naruto asked, waving around at the stables.

Sasuke looked up like he had just remembered something very important. Before Naruto could ask anything else Sasuke had grabbed his hand and dragged him over to one of the stalls. Naruto let his partner press his hand to the stable door. He sucked in a startled breath at the tingling sensation that spread over his skin. It didn't hurt but it wasn't pleasant either; sort of like instant pins and needles.

"That feeling is the magickal signature of a hidden message. They're written in magick and need to be revealed by magick. Do it like you would if you were activating one of those pentacle shaped locks!"

Ignoring Sasuke's strangely curious enthusiasm Naruto thought back to the gate at the Hyuuga's home and let his magick flow into the smooth wood. Sasuke guided his hand over the door until words in a neat cursive script revealed themselves: "_Find your life stone"._

Naruto opened his mouth to ask what the hell that was supposed to mean but Sasuke's face stopped him. He looked shocked as he reached out to touch the message as it began to fade back into the wood.

"Itachi…"

* * *

**A/N:** So I'm a big liar that absolutely refuses to update regularly or at all. I had previously consigned this story to the rubbish tip along with every other creative aspect of my life but it annoys me that I never finished it. My muse completely abandoned me, that is to say inspiration was no more and it's totally my fault but I'm going to blame the mysterious muse. I kept rereading old stories in the hopes that I would miraculously be able to finish them. So I make no promises but I would like to see this through to the end. Sorry for being such a sucky author and thank you for sticking with me for as long as you did.

Yasu


	25. A Name

**A/N: ATTENTION! The rating for this story has now changed to M mainly thanks to this chapter. You have been warned.**

* * *

"Itachi…"

If Naruto had been standing a little further away he would have missed the tender whisper. As it was, he heard the suppressed emotion in Sasuke's voice. It made him step away thinking that maybe he shouldn't be privy to a message that clearly meant for Sasuke's eyes.

When Sasuke ran from the stables in a flurry, Naruto was in two minds about following him. On the one hand this was obviously some very private business between Sasuke and his brother. But on the other, he was Sasuke's bonded now and he wanted to be there if Sasuke needed him.

Besides, Naruto admitted to himself that he was incredibly curious.

Naruto left the stables just as Sasuke reached the entrance to the great hall. He followed the trail of Sasuke's coat as it flicked around the corner. Naruto thundered after his partner across the hall, down the stairs and along the dungeon corridor to the sea. When they reached the end Sasuke surprised him by turning left into the cliff face tunnel entrance.

The light became more limited as they hurried down the slippery tunnel and both Hunters relied heavily on their magickally enhanced sight. There were brackets that had clearly once held witchfire but they had long ago burnt out. Naruto knew Sasuke was aware of him, how could he not be? But he took encouragement from the way Sasuke ignored him, accepting his presence without protest. Gradually the light which had been deteriorating grew in strength again until they could once more see by starlight as the tunnel ended in a cavern that opened onto the ocean.

At either side of the opening sat two large rounded rocks like sentinels that Naruto suspected were beacons ready for lighting during bonding ceremonies. There was also another dark tunnel leading away into the cliff in the opposite direction they had come from and if he strained his hearing Naruto thought he could hear trickle of running water from the dark entrance. The cave was windswept and chilly but peaceful with the breathtaking view of the ocean and the crash of waves far below them.

Sasuke ran immediately to the back of the cave and Naruto saw him step into a hollow in the floor and stoop to pick something up. But as soon as his hand clasped the lone pebble he gave a shout of surprise. Naruto ran to his side as Sasuke fell to his knees on the cold stone curling uncontrollably in on himself. Naruto put a hand on his shoulder as he writhed on the floor, face screwed up in pain.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called as he tried to pry the pebble from his partner's death grip. "Let go!"

But Sasuke didn't hear him. He couldn't hear anything over the rushing of blood in his ears except perhaps a voice in the back of his mind, one that he hadn't heard in years. Low and oppressive, unfamiliar words washed over him and he knew that they were magick; the Olde Language spoken in his imagination.

When he came back to himself the first thing Sasuke felt was the cold seeping through his clothes. He tried to sit up but only managed to roll feebly onto his side; his limbs trembled with paralysing exhaustion. Then there were strong hands helping him up and he was panting with the effort of positioning his legs underneath him. He leant heavily into the warm body and opened aching eyes.

The first thing Sasuke looked upon was Naruto's worried features and then he glanced over his partners shoulder and nearly collapsed all over again. Silhouetted against the night sky stood his brother. Itachi didn't look anything like he had on that dreadful night, he was calm, if slightly sorrowful. But Sasuke was just glad to see that his eyes weren't glowing red, instead he appeared as Sasuke always thought of him; about 16 years old, wearing dark clothes and a small smile, the one he had always kept for Sasuke.

"Hello otouto."

Sasuke stood a little straighter, strengthened by the sight. "Y-you're here..." he managed past the lump in his throat.

"Not all of me," said Itachi, motioning at his body, through which Sasuke could now see the stars. "I'm sorry I had to steal so much of your power to appear like this, my soul has grown weaker over the years. But my, Sasuke, you have grown. And who is this handsome young man?"

He gestured at Naruto as he approached and Sasuke realised his partner was staring at him.

"This is Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto meet my brother, Itachi."

"What are you talking about, Sasuke?" Naruto looked genuinely frightened now. He lifted a hand to Sasuke's face as though to centre him.

"He can't see me," said Itachi peering curiously at the boy. "Have him touch the stone, that might work."

"It 'might' work?" Sasuke gave his brother a disbelieving look; Itachi never guessed.

"This is new magick even to me, or should I say Olde magick. I didn't get a chance to research it too well before meeting my untimely end."

Sasuke took Naruto's hand and placed it over the life stone that he was still holding. Naruto hissed in pain as his hand met the heated surface. He looked up, opening his mouth to ask what the hell was going on and Sasuke saw the exact moment that he spotted Itachi. Naruto's mouth formed a perfect 'O' as he stared at the older Uchiha.

"It's good to meet my little brother's bonded. I hope you've been taking good care of him for me?"

"How did you know...?" asked Naruto in surprise.

"I'm his brother, I should be able to tell. After you've been bonded for a while the connection will be almost tangible I assure you."

"So... care to explain why your soul has taken up residence in my life stone?"

"It hasn't exactly 'taken up residence' I just used the stone to anchor myself here; it had to be something that you wouldn't lose or throw away. Anyway I suppose my main purpose was to answer your questions."

Sasuke was silent for a moment. Then, "What happened to you?"

Itachi nodded as though this was the question he had been waiting for and then lifted his shirt. On the toned flesh of his abdomen was a dark pattern of Olde lettering. The lines spiralled together, interweaving to create a black mess in the centre.

"When I met the demon Madara in battle he knocked me out and I woke up with this. As far as I was able to make out it boosts demonic energies. I fought it for as long as I was able but I could feel it strengthening as the wheel of the year turned towards the solstice. I begged father to send me away, lock me up, anything. But he wanted to show me off he did every year, even more so since I had fought Madara and walked away. Besides I was taking the Green Dragon tonic so it should have been fine. I don't suppose you were ever old enough to try it but you probably remember the bright green ceremony tea that was drank during the winter celebrations to relax people?" Sasuke nodded. "Well its primary function is to relieve any lingering demonic urges during that time, Uchiha's are powerful but we are not usually strong. The Green Dragon is much stronger drink; it completely strips the user of his powers. So we thought I was safe," Itachi began to pace, clearly reliving his final night among the living. When he stopped he stood staring out at the endless ocean.

"Anyway, turns out it doesn't work on demons. A fatal error that I didn't live to regret. The Demon's Hour arrived and I was gone, I don't remember very much, it's a blur of blood and wild magick. But I remember you Sasuke." Itachi spun to face them. "You stood before me and drew your own blade and I had never been prouder of you."

There was a long stretch of silence that Naruto dare not break. In the end Sasuke saved him the trouble.

"How long does the Green Dragon tonic last?"

Itachi frowned, "Depends on the dosage. Why do you ask?"

In answer Sasuke pulled the incriminating hip-flask from his coat pocket and shook it gently. The contents sloshed around in the silver container.

"Sasuke!" Itachi reprimanded sternly. "Didn't I teach you never to touch unidentified substances? What did you go and drink that for?"

Sasuke shrugged as he returned the flask to his pocket. "It was alcoholic," he said sullenly.

Naruto tried to hide his grin; it was interesting watching Sasuke, usually so confident and sure of himself, being transported back to his childhood by a simple scolding. Itachi gave Naruto a knowing look.

"Is there any more you can tell us about Madara?" he asked. "What does he look like?"

Sasuke perked up at his questions and Itachi nodded approvingly.

"Yes, of course not much is known about Uchiha Madara." Both Naruto and Sasuke opened their mouths in shock. "I believe he destroyed most of the records pertaining to him and his brothers' identities. I only know his surname because he boasted so arrogantly of his achievement here. You see, he and his brother bought this place as a safe place to train new hunters, far from the prying eyes of the city." Itachi waved a hand to encompass the castle that stood above them. "Madara himself wrote the enchantments that protect Kikyo Castle and now keep him from its grounds. He is a master of the Olde Language."

"He was here," input Sasuke, glancing at Naruto, who nodded along. "He appeared in front of us when we were... in the dungeon."

"Yes, he can do that. As I'm sure you are aware, it was an illusion; his own image stolen from his body and transplanted inside the castle walls." Sasuke nodded along. "I assume you intend to pursue him?"

"Tsunade was already chasing him but by appearing here he's made himself target number one for the coven."

"Good, you will need their combined strength to take him down, not least because he has a selection of very powerful demons who will stand by him to the end. I don't know much about them, having bypassed them last time I met Madara but I can tell you that Madara himself is not as infallible as he likes to believe. There are some hunters with the ability to see magick after all. You need to find a way to do that. There were rumours of a couple of young Hyuuga's emerging with powers like that years ago but they were attempting magickal merging so I doubt they're still around."

"Oh they're around alright," said Sasuke with a sudden predatory grin.

"Then they succeeded?"

"Yeah and Neji already said he could see Madara standing on the castle wall! He could find him in a fight," said Naruto enthusiastically.

"And then we'd just need to trap him..." added Sasuke, clearly already formulating a plan.

"Yes but unfortunately I don't have time to help you plan."

"I'd have found you sooner if your message hadn't been so cryptic."

Itachi smiled lightly, "I needed to make sure it was you who found it but at the same time I couldn't address it to you for fear of someone else picking up your life stone. The instructions didn't go into detail but as far as I could make out it had to be your magick lest something painful occur."

"Why me?"

"Because we were bonded; linked by Olde Language enchantments."

"I didn't know the Olde Language was involved in bonding," said Sasuke curiously.

"You should take a look inside those beacon braziers sometime they are laced with complicated incantations once you clean out the burnt herb remains."

"I'll take your word for it," said Sasuke, imagining the build up of soot in the stone braziers.

"Anyway, now I have a question for you, Naruto: why do I recognise you?"

"Erm is that supposed to be a riddle? We've never met before."

"Hmm let me look at you." He motioned for Naruto to turn properly and Sasuke turned with him clasping his hand securely around the pebble. Itachi looked him up. "Ah, Namikaze!" he exclaimed, pointing at the dagger affixed to Naruto's belt. "That belonged to Minato; I met him once when he came to see father. You look like him as well, is he a relation?"

"Yeah, he was my father."

"Ah, I'm sorry," said Itachi noting Naruto's use of the past tense. "He was a great man. He came to see Fugaku after hearing a certain prophesy. I was only a child at the time but I remember it word for word; they sat discussing it for hours:

"_Born of ultimate conflict,_

_After one of tragic pain,_

_And either may tilt the balance,_

_Providing the other is slain._

_The last of their blood,_

_Sealed by magick olde,_

_Join together or perish,_

_And walk a path foretold."_

Sasuke frowned and glanced at Naruto, "Why did he come to father? The prophesy was surely made about the Namikaze family."

"That was Minato's conclusion as well since his relative made that prophesy merely hours after his son was born." Naruto stood stiff as a board at Sasuke's side but Itachi continued. "But when you were nearly five years old Minato uncovered another record of the same prophesy. This record showed that the verse was first spoken by Uchiha Namiko."

"Obaasan?"

"Yes, the first time she laid eyes on you she gave that exact same prophesy to Fugaku."

"What the hell does all this mean?" said Naruto scrubbing his free hand roughly over his face.

Itachi shrugged. "As usual when it comes to divination the outcome is up for interpretation. But Fugaku and Minato had a few theories all of which revolved around you two being the children foretold. Fugaku concentrated on the part where one of you kills the other but Minato kept reminding him that the you are also supposed to 'join together or perish'."

"This makes no sense!" Naruto moaned.

"This is why I hate divination," said Sasuke vehemently. "It's a load of contradictory drivel!"

"Maybe," said Itachi. "But both seers had a high record of accuracy. Either way it's probably not worth dwelling on; it's out of your control."

"Well thanks for telling us then," Sasuke drawled.

"Anyway I don't know how much longer I can feed on your magick. So any further questions?"

"What's it like being dead?" Naruto blurted out.

Itachi chuckled. "A bit sad I suppose. At least I didn't have any awareness until you fed me magick or it would have been bloody boring. I look forward to moving on; I'd like to see Shisui again, and mother and father of course."

Sasuke took a heavy breath and slouched closer to Naruto; he could feel his own energy reaching its limit. Itachi nodded knowingly.

"Take good care of this place won't you? I know it must be lonely here at the moment, but I'm sure you'll find something to brighten the place up. Also you might want to see to the greenhouse above the library; father kept the key in his desk drawer. There's a book in my room where I wrote down how to alter the castle's enchantment so that people without Uchiha blood may unlock the gates."

Sasuke looked at Itachi and was unsure whether it was the apparition that was blurred or simply his eyesight. He wanted to say something; ask if there was some way for his brother to stay but he knew it was useless. He could feel his strength waning and seeing Itachi here, so calm and peaceful he knew that it was supposed to be this way. Itachi was himself again and he was moving on.

"Good luck on your mission. Look after each other," Itachi watched the way Naruto held Sasuke as his brother's legs began to fail him and knew he didn't need to say it. "Let go of the stone, otouto."

Sasuke heard the words through his haze and nodded slowly; his head felt like it was made of lead.

"Goodbye niisan."

As Sasuke removed his hand from Naruto's his life stone fell to the floor with a clatter. He saw the apparition of his brother slip away from him like a wisp of smoke caught on the ocean breeze. Naruto caught him as he lost consciousness.

**-0-**

Naruto hurried back to the main hall with the prone form of Sasuke in his arms. He lay the hunter gently on one of the sofa's before flipping his new phone open. Sasuke had kindly copied the contact numbers of all the coven bound hunters to his phone before he gave it to him.

"Is it important? I'm in the middle of a meeting," Tsunade answered tersely.

"We have a name for the demon that attacked the Uchiha compound."

"Well?"

"Uchiha Madara; the castle's founder."

There was silence for a moment. "To think that our two primary targets were the same demon, and an Uchiha to boot. Good work, did you find out anything else?"

Naruto paused, unsure of how much he should share. "We know there are some demons loyal to him who will fight to the death, but not their identities or how many there are. Also, despite being well versed in the Olde Language, Madara was unable to pass through the enchantments here; the castle is secure and ready to be used as a base. Sasuke and I will start working on a plan to overcome Madara as soon as possible."

"Yes, very good. I will be sending the bulk of the Hunt your way with supplies. Please make the necessary preparations."

After she had hung up Naruto turned to find Sasuke pulling himself into a sitting position.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yes," Sasuke glanced up at him. "Thanks for not mentioning my brother. I'd rather have people believe we looked it up in the library."

Naruto nodded, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, just a bit drained. I couldn't perform any magick right now even if I hadn't drank that Green Dragon stuff." He stood up gingerly stretching his back. Naruto tried not to stare as his movements revealed a thin strip of pale skin above his belt, but he thought Sasuke might have caught it anyway. "The war council can use the library if we move a few tables around. The houses should be in order but it might be a good idea to check anyway. I need to have a look at that book Itachi left behind; if I'm the only one who can unlock the castle Tsunade will never let me leave and don't intend to play gatekeeper."

"I can take care of the library and quarters."

**-0-**

While Naruto made preparations Sasuke located the book his brother had mentioned. Sure enough, tucked into the back cover of the old tomb, was a sheet of paper covered in Itachi's neat script.

'_To whomever this may concern,_

_'I am writing to impart a little help should you ever need to alter the enchantments protecting Kikyo Castle. It has come to my attention that we Uchiha's are so concerned with keeping evil out that not __even the Toumoku of the city coven can enter without Uchiha help. Last month Toumoku Minato was forced to wait outside for over an hour because the gatekeeper fell asleep on the job._

_'I have therefore invested some time in developing the section of the in__cantation that calls for Uchiha blood. My version on the incantation will allow any hunter to enter and seek sanctuary provided that they have honest intentions. The scribe must use the blunt of a Kiyo marker to remove the section that reads like so:'_

Sasuke paused to look at the complex pattern of symbols that followed before returning to the words above it. What the hell was a Kiyo marker? He had never heard of such a thing, so much of this Olde Language business was a mystery to him. He looked around wishing fervently that Itachi would pop up again to impart more of his knowledge. When that didn't happen Sasuke launched a full scale search of his brother's room. He looked under the bed, ran his hands over the bookshelves and pulled out the desk drawers until he finally fished a heavy wooden box out of the bottom of the wardrobe.

Sasuke sat back on his heels and pulled it towards him. It had a pentacle lock on the front of it. He sighed softly; he really didn't want to call Naruto down there to open it, even after everything, that seem a little too personal. These were Itachi's things and when Sasuke thought of the amount of times Itachi had probably used his own magick to unlock this box he just couldn't make himself take it to Naruto.

He examined his own magick for a moment, and realised a small trace had returned to him since his earlier depletion. He was immediately thankful that he was such a strong hunter. Sasuke reached tentatively for his magick and felt it stir with a burst of relief; the tonic must be wearing off. He pressed his hand to the pentacle lock, feeling the strain as his exhaustion returned and black spots danced in his vision for a moment.

The reason the box had been heavy was soon obvious; there were several bottles of clear green alcohol. But inside there was also a diary and a small object Sasuke didn't recognise. He bypassed the diary and picked up the smooth piece of crystal. It was shaped rather like an thick pencil but the grooves running down the edges were slightly uneven and engraved with the now familiar Olde Language letters. One end was sharpened to a dangerous point but the other was blunt and marked with a band of silver further adding to the likeness of a pencil.

If this strange implement wasn't a 'Kiyo marker' Sasuke didn't know what was. So he collected Itachi's instructions and headed for the surface. He knew the main incantation ran around the border of the compound of the castle at its highest point for the best protection. It adorned the top of the castle wall and at the cliff side of the compound it was written on the garden wall. Sasuke decided to start at the easiest point and went to the North end of the garden.

This had been one of his favourite places to spend time (other than the stables). The garden was thankfully the sort that didn't need much maintenance, so although the grass had grown wild the rest of the garden looked fine. There were large granite slabs at odd intervals that would heat up in the summer sun and strong trees that had been permanently bent by the persistent winds. Heather grew in springy patches and gorse ran along the edges near the wall. Come summer it would flower and Sasuke would enjoy sitting out here and soaking up the coconut scent.

But right now the damn thorns were in the way. He picked his way to the outer wall swearing occasionally. At the wall he wasted no time revealing the incantations. He was careful not to exhaust himself completely and the symbols glowed faintly. He walked along the wall to the right locating the correct section of the enchantment and pulled out the marker.

As soon as Sasuke placed the blunt end of the instrument to the silver symbols the marker began to glow. He traced each letter, collecting more magick in the marker until he reached the end of the section that Itachi had transcribed. Then, feeling grateful that he wouldn't have to use his own magick to write the incantation, Sasuke began to trace new letters onto the wall. The marker moved with fluid ease as Sasuke copied Itachi's version of the incantation with careful precision.

**-0-**

By the time Sasuke began work on the last repetition of the incantation the sky had lightened to a pre-dawn grey and he knew the pattern off by heart. He was exhausted from revealing the silver enchantments numerous times but the thought that his work was nearly done kept him going.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke didn't look away from his task as he inscribed the last symbol onto the castle wall at the North side of the compound. When he was finished he let out a great sigh of relief and sunk to the ground just as Naruto appeared at the top of the ladder, climbing onto the battlements.

"Tired?" he asked, sitting close next to him.

Sasuke nodded and leaned into his warmth, allowing Naruto to sling an arm over his chilled shoulders.

"Neji called, the Hunt is on its way."

Sasuke felt a smug smile force its way onto his face; he'd gotten his way. He was at home now and he was allowing Hunters to congregate on his land. It felt right somehow, to have the castle full of people again. He lay his head against Naruto's strong chest listening to his partner's heartbeat speed up a little. His head felt like lead but Sasuke still felt the need to raise it, just so that he could catch a glimpse of those luminous blue eyes, gazing steadily at him.

It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to press his lips gently to Naruto's, feeling their divine softness move against his. He sighed contentedly and felt the press of Naruto's tongue slipping into his mouth with that heat that seemed to belong solely to Naruto. Sasuke leaned closer, deepening the kiss and nearly finding himself in Naruto's lap. He was quickly becoming lost in the exchange of hot kisses and tentative touches and thought he should probably extricate himself from this compromising position.

But Naruto had other ideas. His hands were beneath Sasuke's coat now, running up his back and then down his sides and Sasuke thought he knew everything there was to know about electricity but this was new. So when Naruto's hands gripped insistently at his hips Sasuke crawled into his lap, folding his long limbs along the side of Naruto's legs.

When Naruto's mouth left his own Sasuke was ashamed that he almost whimpered at the loss. As it was, he thrust his fingers into Naruto's blond locks, meaning to get him back on track when he felt the burning touch of that wonderful mouth on his neck. The fire began just below his left ear with sweet kisses and a gentle tug at his earlobe and suddenly Sasuke was gripping his hair to pull Naruto closer, urging him on. When his insistence caused Naruto to moan directly in his ear he bucked his hips, acutely aware of the pressure building in his groin. Naruto ran a trail of fiery kisses down his neck, his tongue setting Sasuke alight and scattered nips making his cock twitch with need.

When Naruto reached the base of his neck Sasuke felt him nuzzle the sensitive skin there before setting his mouth to the juncture and sucking lightly. Sasuke thought he might have let loose a moan at that point. He opened his eyes as molten desire shot through him and saw the sun slip over the horizon, bathing the sky in all the colours that had been flitting behind his eyelids a moment earlier.

He sought Naruto's mouth again, kissing him forcefully as he tugged the other boy's coat away from his shoulders and threw it to the side. He shook his own coat off and felt Naruto's strong arms wrap around him pulling him closer for several long moments as their tongues twined together, locked in their heated embrace. When they broke apart it was only dispense with their respective shirts.

Sasuke relished in running his hands over Naruto's naked skin, he'd seen him naked before now but he'd never really stopped to admire the delicious caramel tone of his skin. He noticed Naruto performing his own quick analysis; taking in the strong, scarred torso of a practised hunter. Sasuke was momentarily thrown by the look in Naruto's eyes, surprised that there was not an ounce of distaste when faced with the result of a lifetime of fighting. Their next kiss was tender for a moment before Sasuke felt it necessary to remind his partner of their current situation. He pressed his hips forward and down, feeling Naruto's need straining against his and drawing a deep groan from him that Sasuke felt the need to echo. It was a sound he wanted to hear much more of in the future.

Next second Naruto's mouth had returned to his neck and Sasuke found himself clutching at muscular shoulders as deft fingers dispatched with his belt. Sasuke was thankful that Naruto was quick with the fastenings because he doubted he would be much help at this moment. Naruto's mouth on his neck was doing funny things to his coherency, something that only became more pronounced when he felt sure fingers wrap around his cock, giving it a long, slow pump.

Sasuke thought he might have made a sound at this point. His mouth was certainly open as he struggled to breath in any semblance of normal rhythm. Naruto ran his thumb over the slit of his cock and Sasuke felt sure there were sparks. But obviously there couldn't be; he felt as though he were completely devoid of magick for the first time in his life. It was a frightening prospect, but at the same time, oddly liberating. He clutched desperately at any part of Naruto he could reach, threading his fingers through wild hair one minute only to scrape them down his partner's back the next.

In some far off corner of his mind Sasuke was aware that this was unlike him. He tried briefly to remind himself that it was only a hand job before trying to reason that it had been a while since he'd gotten laid. But never had he felt so overwhelmed by the sexual presence of another human being. Perhaps it was his temporary lack of magick that had suddenly given him an excuse to relax the iron grip of control he usually held over his life. Whatever the reason for his newfound impulsiveness, Sasuke was content to go with it for now.

He pulled back from the heat of being pressed against the other hunter's chest and kissed Naruto, hard. It was sloppy but he thought Naruto might forgive him for that, considering it was his fault. He kissed him deeply until he felt the pressure build between them and then he released him. Sasuke looked into eyes like cut glass that reflected everything that Sasuke felt unable to put a name to. The thought that something similar might be seen in his own eyes was overpowering, so he looked away, burying his face in the hollow of Naruto's neck.

"I-I Naru-to!" Sasuke gasped as his body shook with surprising force.

**-0-**

Naruto held his partner securely as he recovered from his high. He thought perhaps this was the most beautiful thing he had ever been privy to. He didn't want to move but he was painfully aware of his own predicament. After a moment he shifted slightly, trying in vain to alleviate some of the pressure.

Next second he found himself on his back as Sasuke apparently recovered the strength in his limbs enough to flip them around. Naruto was now lying on his own coat with a very sexy Uchiha hovering over him. Sasuke looked down at him with heavy lidded eyes and kissed him with a languid pace that he allowed Naruto to elevate. Just when Naruto thought he could do this forever, Sasuke moved away. He tried to follow but a pale hand pressed firmly on his chest, forcing him to lie back down.

Naruto looked down at Sasuke, reminded suddenly of his own need as Sasuke trailed kisses down his stomach. Naruto felt his muscles tense impossibly as long fingers gripped his thighs through constricting jeans. He whined impatiently and Sasuke lifted a teasing eyebrow at him that only served to aggravate him further; he'd always wanted to be able to do that!

But then Sasuke took mercy on him and Naruto felt the pressure ease slightly as his jeans were unbuttoned and tugged halfway down his thighs. Cold air chilled his most heated skin as his boxers were pushed aside. For a moment Sasuke didn't touch him and Naruto looked up wondering if the Uchiha meant to torture him first. What he saw made him groan loudly as Sasuke lowered those sinful lips over his cock. Naruto wanted to watch, he wanted to see, but as he was engulfed in wet heat his head fell back against the stone.

He moaned helplessly as Sasuke worked him over, soon turning him into a quivering mess. Sasuke's hands ran up from his thighs, one circling the base of his cock and the other running indulgently over Naruto's skin. Naruto quickly realised he wasn't above begging as Sasuke took him deeper and hollowed out his cheeks bringing that heat tight around his cock. Naruto's hand was buried in silky strands of midnight hair when he realised how fast he was hurtling towards completion.

"Sasuke, I-I'm gonna-" he managed, feeling Sasuke's fingers twine with his over his chest.

Sasuke squeezed his hand and hollowed his cheeks again causing Naruto to cry out as he came with a loud shout.

He sucked in great lungfuls of clean sea air as he felt Sasuke tuck them both away and zip up. Naruto reached out blindly and snagged the young man's arm, pulling him down to lie with him. He heard Sasuke sigh as he lay his head down on Naruto's chest.

"Now I'm definitely exhausted," he muttered.

Naruto chuckled and opened his eyes to survey the colours streaking the morning sky. He had just begun to wonder if Sasuke would object to taking a quick nap out here when the Uchiha's phone started ringing. He sat bolt upright and fished it out of a coat pocket.

"_Kindly come and open the gates for us, would you?"_ said Neji's cool voice.

"I've altered the enchantments, you can open them yourself now," Sasuke replied tersely before hanging up.

The pair of them stood quickly and began gathering their clothes. Naruto was thankful they'd been in too much of a hurry to undress properly as he swung his coat on and followed Sasuke as he strode along the top of the castle wall.

When they reached the gates they were met with quite a magnificent sight. It was easily the largest crowd of hunters Naruto had ever seen. Some were still arriving in an assortment of cars but most of them had congregated in the courtyard. They ranged in age and gender but all were equally impressive as they stood proudly with little attempt to disguise body armour and with weapons on full display.

* * *

**A/N: **Sooooo my apologies for over-abundance of dialogue at the beginning of this chapter but I hope the ending makes up for it. Might be a little longer before I get the next chapter sorted but I'll try not to keep you too long (then again you know what I'm like).

Note: The idea for the Kiyo marker is pretty much straight out of Cassandra Clare's amazing Mortal Instruments Series. A reviewer ages back when I started this story accused me of basically copying City of Bones. I can assure you that was a complete coincidence but thanks to their review I figured those books were probably right up my street and was so right! Excellent read, definitely recommend them!

Also I have a word for my reviewers... Whatever did I do to deserve you guys? You're the best! 3

_yasu


	26. Organised Lightning

**A/N:** Heh it's been a while hadn't it. I finally got my butt kicked into completing another chapter. The reason this one is so short (when compared to the time it took to write) is because I wrote one really long and boring chapter and eventually gave up and chopped it in two. Chapter title is from the quote by George Carlin - 'Electricity is really just organised lightning.' I felt it was appropriate.

* * *

Sasuke stayed with the Hunt long enough to offer the houses as quarters and lead Tsunade to the library. He checked that Naruto had indeed moved the tables into the centre to create a suitable area for the council to meet and excused himself. It took all of his strength to stand tall in front of Tsunade but once he'd stumbled down the stairs to the dungeons he allowed himself to use the wall for support.

He made it to his bedroom with a sigh of relief and removed his coat, boots and trousers purely to avoid being stabbed by numerous weapons as he slept.

Sasuke was out like a light as soon as his head hit the pillow. He didn't even stir when Naruto crawled into bed beside him a few hours later, taking the open door as an unintended invitation. He woke up at sunset to find a strong arm wrapped around his waist, hand resting gently at the base of his spine. Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment or two, savouring the repetition of their earlier pose.

He knew he had to get up soon. He had to get up now, actually, if you wanted to be fussy about it. His brain was wide awake, already running through every strange thing that had happened in the past 24 hours and working out how he was to proceed. It wasn't as though Sasuke wasn't used to experiencing the unbelievable but he felt that recently his life had taken a particularly crazy turn. And all because he had saved this stupid man from a vampire.

Still, yesterday had been so odd, compared to his normal standards, that it felt almost like a puzzle piece from someone else's life. He'd gotten stoned for fuck's sake! Sasuke's face burned at the memory (what had he been thinking?) and he got up as carefully as possible and crept down the hall to the bathroom.

Despite his silent departure Sasuke wasn't at all surprised when he felt his partner's presence moving closer. A second later Naruto walked into the shower behind him.

"Good morning-evening," he muttered with a yawn as he slipped past Sasuke to get under the spray.

Sasuke generously stepped back to admire the view. Considering Naruto hadn't even started his hunter training until a few months ago he had a decent bit of muscle on him. Sasuke had his inherited lifestyle to thank for his body but Naruto was clearly the sort who took care of himself regardless of necessity. He watched as trails of steaming water ran down the smooth planes of his partner's back.

"Tsk, lecher."

Naruto was watching him out of the corner of his eye. Sasuke smirked slightly and deliberately gave him another slow once-over.

"Just admiring your tan; do a lot of naked sunbathing, do you?"

"Not recently. When summer hits I'll be sure to give you the full show."

**-0-**

They dressed quickly in their sparring clothes; thin, light hunter armour and loose fitting trousers and vests before heading to the great hall. Sasuke was in a hurry to make a start on their plan for defeating Madara. He'd already formulated several possible scenarios that could work, but they all depended on an ability he had never really experimented with.

The heavy door from the dungeon swung open and they strode into the great hall. The difference was noticeable immediately. The grates at either end of the hall were full of roaring flames and the hall was closer to the way Sasuke remembered it. The dank air that had lingered in the cavernous room during the years of neglect had been expelled, but nobody was sitting around enjoying the warmth.

The pair turned in unison towards the open doors to the left. Deep grunts and the clash of weaponry could be heard from the occupied dojo. Sasuke moved to the doorway and was relieved to see that nobody was being too destructive in his home. Most of the hunters were training in hand to hand combat in order to stay limber and all of the exercise equipment was occupied.

"Nice set up you have here, Sasuke!" called Tenten from the side of the room.

He nodded with a small proud smile and a look of shock passed over her face before Lee ran forward and engaged her in their match once more.

"Let's get to work," said Sasuke.

With that he turned and exited the hall through the main doors. Naruto hurried along behind him. When they stepped out into the courtyard they were once again greeted by the sight of training hunters. Outside were 6 pairs of sparring coven hunters, showcasing their wide range of powers and clearly enjoying the rare freedom of training outdoors, far from the prying eyes of the city. Naruto hesitated as the dirt ground swept up in front of Yamato forcing Kakashi to back-flip away.

"Please return my land to its former shape when you are done, Yamato-san," called Sasuke.

"Naturally," replied Yamato as the ground caved in under Kakashi, unbalancing him for only a moment. Next second Yamato was the one unbalanced by a mistimed glance in Kakashi's direction. He stumbled and fell to his knees. Kakashi dashed forward, skimming lightly over the disrupted earth, to disarm his bonded.

"You make a nice distraction, Sasuke," Kakashi informed him as he claimed his victory and helped Yamato to his feet. Yamato's face burned.

"Good match," he muttered grudgingly.

"Hn."

Sasuke swept away from the scene and headed around the back of the hall to the clifftop garden. Naruto had seen the garden briefly yesterday, when he'd gone searching for Sasuke; it had looked like such a peaceful place. All along the base of the castle wall tall witchfire braziers were being lit that had not seen use in years, they bathed the south side of the grounds in a flickering white light. He glanced up at the darkened section of the castle wall to the north and flushed lightly. Sasuke smirked at him and moved to the centre of the garden.

Here there was a large, empty circle of sand, the edges marked by granite slabs at the cardinal points and a ring of pebbles that divided sand from grass. Symbols stood out starkly on the pale quartz. Naruto frowned in confusion.

"This is where more destructive sparring matches are traditionally held; not the courtyard. I'm glad to have this space to ourselves for this training."

"What exactly do you have in mind for Madara, I know you said something about trapping him..?"

"Barriers; I've used them before. A temporary wave of lightning, so condensed that it acts like a solid barrier. They only last a second or two, but if I can anchor them to something..." Sasuke pulled a crystal from his coat pocket. As he spoke it began to glow. "I took this from the dungeon stores."

"You're thinking... a cage? Of lightning?" Naruto asked, wondering if he was following Sasuke's thought pattern correctly.

Sasuke nodded and threw the crystal into the sand several feet away. Then he drew his sword from its sheath and pointed it at the crystal almost like a golfer lining up a shot. As he swung the sword experimentally a violent arc of lightning flew across the space and struck the ground to the left of the glowing crystal. Sand erupted in every direction and Naruto shielded his eyes from both the sand and the bright burst of light. In the moment the barrier had existed the lightning had changed the atmosphere in the garden from dim half-light to stark white.

As Sasuke swung his sword again Naruto stepped out of the circle and settled himself on one of the granite slabs to watch. Sasuke continued to throw arcs of electricity in the direction of the kiyo crystal but when one finally made contact the crystal was tossed about a foot in the air. Sasuke tapped his sword on the ground in annoyance.

"Maybe you need more magick in the crystal?" Naruto suggested.

"Hmm, maybe."

Sasuke picked up the crystal and drew on his magick. He fed the palm sized rock with more magick than he would ever usually put into a kiyo in one day and willed himself to be able to feel the connection to his own magick where it was stored. He had a feeling that was the problem here; he couldn't sense any connection to the stone. It struck him as odd because he had always been able to feel a connection with his sword and sense which pendant was Itachi's old one.

But when he threw the stone back onto the sandy ground he found he still had no sense of it. He could see and feel the power glowing inside of it but it felt distant and unconnected. Sasuke threw a few more experimental barriers at the stone, willing them to stick but he only succeeded in throwing the stone right out of the circle.

Sasuke stuck his sword into the sandy ground and was about to collect the stone when Neji strode into the garden. He picked the stone up as he passed it and tossed it to Naruto, who caught it one handed without even looking. Naruto looked at the crystal for a moment, surprised by his own paranormal reflexes. He was about to throw it into the middle of the ring again when Neji stopped him.

"You try charging it Naruto."

Sasuke frowned at him, "This isn't a training exercise, Neji; I purposefully searched out an unused crystal so that I would be able to detect my own magick within it."

"I know what you're attempting; I've been watching from the war council."

"Clearly they're not keeping you entertained."

"No, not really. This is what Tsunade was referring to when she said you were working on a plan for defeating Madara I take it? She mentioned you would be needing my eyes to locate him and since I doubt you were planning to fill me in I took it upon myself to find out the details.

"Regarding this trap you are planning to spring up around him, it's a sort of electrical cage, correct?" Sasuke nodded tersely. "So you'll be able to pass through the walls and rein destruction within killing the invisible Madara without worrying about harming your visible colleagues. In order to anchor your wild magick you need to have an intimate sense of the object but it doesn't look like you have much of a connection with that stone... However you do have this wonderfully... vibrant connection with your dear Naruto."

Neji's eyes flickered between the pair of them, assessing them as a whole. Sasuke wondered for a moment if Neji could actually see the bonds placed on hunters during their ceremonies. Itachi had spoken of them as being almost tangible and the olde magick had run so deep that he was still bound to his brother in death. He caught Naruto's eye and for a moment he thought he saw a glimpse of a thousand glittering threads running between them, tangling them together. Naruto's eyes widened before the sight was snatched away as quickly as it had appeared, but the understanding remained.

"Do it," he said softly, nodding at Naruto.

Sasuke could feel the charge immediately. He bristled only slightly at the smug look on Neji's face, too distracted by the sudden swirl of magick in the crystal. One of the hunters creating the witchlights had reached the clifftop and as the nearest brazier flickered to life its light caught the stone, reflecting a myriad of colours across Naruto's skin, waxing pale and ghostly in the white fire. Sasuke glanced up at the focused look on his lover's face and mirrored the expression, drawing up images of the web of magick binding them together. Suddenly it was easy to sense the Kiyo crystal. Sasuke's logical mind reasoned that now he knew those threads of magick existed, connecting them together, it was not so hard to believe that he was in turn connected to the crystal. He knew with a sudden surety that this plan was possible.

So when Naruto dropped the crystal on the sand and stepped back again, Sasuke was not surprised to find that he could still sense the magick swirling within its faceted shell. He reached for it as he extended his magick almost unconsciously and lightning arced through the air. Sasuke saw it move in slow motion, like an extension of his own outstretched hand; reaching for Naruto's magick and cradling the glow in its grasp.

The strand of lightning shimmered in the air, flickering back and forth restlessly as was its nature but it did not dissipate; it was firmly anchored now.

Naruto let out a cheer and clapped his hands excitedly but Neji frowned, not so easily satisfied.

"It's a start but you'll need to manipulate its shape to create the cage, Sasuke. Have you ever tried that before?"

Rather than have to answer him Sasuke opted for concentrating on his lightning. It wavered as he tried to stretch its shape and Sasuke fed the link magick in order to steady it. His body thrummed with energy and static lifted his hair. It was more difficult than he had imagined to widen the lightning after he had brought it into existence. It bucked and writhed in the air and trying to control it was like trying to mould water with your bare hands. He hissed out a breath of frustration through his teeth as the lightning flickered and jumped, slipping through his fingers and finally fizzling out of existence.

"Keep trying," said Neji in what he evidently thought was an encouraging manner. It made Sasuke want to punch him.

Sasuke clenched his fists, controlling the urge to lash out. He was ready to start counting to ten when Shikamaru rounded the corner into the garden effectively distracting Neji who smiled pleasantly at him. Shikamaru strolled up to him and stood close by his side, shoulders hunched.

"Did I miss anything?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "More reports of the sad state of the city. Four more possible werewolf attacks, untransformed but it looks like one of them might have been caught on camera last full moon. Karin and Suigetsu are working on tracking down the evidence."

Neji made a noise of frustration. "This is bad, they're risking exposure at every turn."

"It's chaos all right but we can't get too distracted by the subspecies."

"If they're out there killing people then why aren't we out there stopping them? Everyone's here hiding and training while people are in danger!" Naruto interrupted them fiercely, standing up, ready to run to Konoha and help.

"There are hunters in Konoha who are fighting as best they can but it's the demons sending the subspecies into a frenzy and it's them we've got to stop," said Neji firmly. "We find them, or more specifically the one organising them, and then we can get the scum population under control."

Sasuke had been silent up until now but when Naruto glanced at him for support he looked thoughtful. "You're getting close," he said quietly.

Naruto's gaze flickered between the three hunters. They seemed to have come to a better understanding of the situation than Naruto could comprehend.

"Getting close? To who? Madara?"

"That's why Tsunade moved almost everyone out here, realistically the watch houses could have held a few more hunters, but she's sent everyone here to train and prepare. By not increasing the patrol numbers she could hope to have the enemy believe we are ignorant of their movements, but we all know it's too late for the that; Madara has already called us out. She could be running scared, protecting the bulk of her assets for when the time comes but Tsunade is no coward. That leads me to believe that the time is now."

Sasuke was staring at the pair of them, daring them to deny it but he knew they wouldn't; he was confident now, that he was right. The cautious glance they shared confirmed it. Neji looked unhappy, he had been keen to keep Sasuke out of the council sessions from the start, but it was Shikamaru who gave a heavy sigh and spoke.

"We have had a number of small successes recently. I can tell you we have been able to confirm that Madara has gathered a small group of demons to his will, quite an achievement when you consider they _are_ demons and would sooner rip each other to pieces than join under a common cause. The organisation is called Akatsuki, we have gathered a certain amount of information on its members and all hunters specializing in tracking are currently working at locating their base." Shikamaru paused and gave them a stern, but somehow still bored, look. "You have two, maybe three days to perfect this technique of yours. After that we will likely have an exact location and will be ready to launch this mission. You will need to prove to the war council that your plan is sound before you are allowed to join the team."

Sasuke rolled his eyes but Naruto could tell he was almost buzzing with nervous energy from the news. "It's not like you have another strategy to deal with Madara. What exactly is your plan without me? Burst into his hideout en mass and line-up the hunters one-by-one to try their powers on him?"

"I always have another strategy, Sasuke." With that Shikamaru turned towards Neji, taking his elbow gently. "I came out here to see you off, are you ready to go?"

Neji nodded and looked back at Sasuke. "Now is your last chance for my guidance in the development of this technique. I have to head back to Konoha to help Hinata and the other trackers."

Sasuke folded his arms. "I'm sure I'll manage without you," he said scathingly.

"I'm positive you can but it would be wise to take this opportunity if there's anything in particular I can help you look into. For example I think you might actually find it easier to create the cage shape if you connect all of the corners first." Neji said, digging two more empty kiyo crystals out of a pouch beneath his cloak. "Just a thought."

He gave Sasuke an overly sweet smile and threw the stones to him forcing Sasuke to unfold his arms in order to catch them. Sasuke glowered at him, annoyed that he'd had the cheek to go through the Uchiha stores in the basement. It was further proof that Neji still kept an eye on him and knew where he went and what he got up to.

Sasuke spent the rest of the night attempting to connect the charges between the stones. He hadn't missed the look on Naruto's face when he had forsaken his pride and taken Neji's advice (once the Hyuuga was well outside the blinding spell of the castle walls, of course). The promise of a shot at Madara was enough of an incentive to prevent Sasuke getting all difficult about accepting a bit of help. Still, it was nearly dawn before he made any real headway.

* * *

**A/N:** I shall get part two out as soon as I can maybe after I've written those system plans and that website... *Le sigh*

_yasu


End file.
